1. Combating Human Trafficking in the UAE

2. Federal Law 51 (2006)
Treats human trafficking as part of organized crime
Criminal prosecution for offenders
Penalties range from six months to life in prison
Financial fines from about 100,000 to one million dirhams

3. National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking
NCCHT established in 2007.
Supports and implements Federal Law 51
Acts as a coordinating body at federal and local levels
Committee first had 12 members – now increased to 20
Members from various ministries, police, judiciary and NGOs

4. Cases/Traffickers/Victims (2013)
Emirate
Cases
Traffickers
Victims
ABU DHABI 3 9 5
DUBAI 8 26 10
SHARJAH 6 11 7
AJMAN 2 4
TOTAL 19 50 24

5. Case history

6. Convictions ( )

7. National Strategy ‘Five Ps’ strategy – shift from four-pillar strategy
Prevention
Prosecution
Punishment
Protection
Promotion (of international cooperation)

8. PUBLIC AWARENESS

9. PUBLIC AWARENESS

10. Victim protection Five holistic shelters for victims
Dubai Foundation for Women and Children – established in 2007
Under the umbrella of the UAE Red Crescent Authority, Ewa’a – Shelter for Women and Children, Abu Dhabi, opened in 2008
Two more shelters opened in Sharjah & Ras Al Khaimah in 2010
Male shelter opened in January 2013 to help prospective victims

11. PROMOTION (of international cooperation)
May – ratified the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (2000)
Ratified the United Nations Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Palermo Protocol)
Signed agreements with several labour-exporting countries to regulate the flow of workforce
Part of the 20-member Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking
2013 – formal member of the Bali Process and its Ad Hoc Group to address human trafficking

12. PROMOTION (of international cooperation)
Donated $15 million to support the UN.GIFT
Signed the Declaration on the Global Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons in New York 2011
Collaboration with the International Training Centre of the Republic of Belarus
Cooperation with IOM, ILO and UNODC
Part of Arab strategy to build national capacity to combat human trafficking
UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, visiting UAE

13. Dissemination of information
Annual report evolution
2008 report
50 pages
report
115 pages

14. Challenges Majority of UAE’s workforce is made up of foreigners
Better coordination between worker-sending and worker receiving countries
Labour versus sexual exploitation
Responsibility of private sector
Private-public sector cooperation

15. Conclusion
The UAE admits existence of the problem in the country, like many others in the world
Government is committed to cooperating with the international community to check human trafficking
Action plan to counter human trafficking has yielded results
Realizes it needs to do more, and is keen to intensify its efforts.

16. Thank You