A two-day workshop on combating human trafficking concluded Tuesday (June 11th) in Bahrain, with security experts calling for better legislation to fight the practise, protection for victims and commending the way the workshop was able to raise awareness on the phenomenon.
The workshop, titled “Building Capacity and Raising Awareness to Combat Human Trafficking”, was organised by the Bahraini Foreign Ministry in co-operation with the International Organisation for Migration.
Conference participants focused on building the national capacity to combat human trafficking through training and awareness programs. They also identified human trafficking as the second largest illegal trade globally, after drug trafficking — with arms dealing coming in third.
A recent International Labour Organisation report estimates there are 600,000 forced labour victims in the Middle East.
Bahrain determined to end human trafficking
Deputy Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdul Latif, who heads the national committee to fight human trafficking, which sponsored the event, said Bahrain was determined to put an end to human trafficking.
Abdul Latif highlighted committee accomplishments in this area, which include establishing a hotline and psychological support service; providing shelter for victims; and increasing the number of Ministry of Labour inspectors to protect the rights of migrant workers.
Conference participants discussed Bahrain’s 2008 law on fighting human trafficking in light of the Bahraini experience and international standards, particularly in relation to the UN protocol that aims to prevent and prosecute human trafficking, which Bahrain acceded to in 2004.
Adel Maged, regional human trafficking expert and vice president of the Egyptian Court of Cassation, described the human trafficking law of 2008 as one of Bahrain’s most important accomplishments.
Still, “the law alone is not enough, and we must put strategies and national work plans in place, as well as intensively train our human resources in the relevant areas”, he said.
“The police, public prosecution, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour are not the only authorities responsible for fighting human trafficking,” he told Al-Shorfa. “There is also the Foreign Ministry, which could have dealings with victims of different nationalities, to communicate with their home countries.”
Co-ordinated efforts among the various authorities to curb this practice are crucial, he said.
According to Maged, most victims of human trafficking in the Arab region are foreign workers. Many victims of human trafficking also include those who are sexually exploited and/or forced into prostitution.
“The Arab League has put a comprehensive regional strategy in place to fight human trafficking, which involves all the key factors, such as how to fight this phenomenon, and preventive measures and legislation,” he said.
To implement this strategy on the ground, Arab countries created a training system and internal work plan, he said.
“We do not want the police working at one end and the Ministry of Labour working at the other end,” Maged said. “We have to work hand-in-hand against criminals.”
What distinguishes Bahrain from other countries in the region is its national committee to combat human trafficking, which has combined efforts to fight the phenomenon by using domestic laws, said Ahmed Farhan, secretary-general of the National Institution for Human Rights in Bahrain.
Officials are exploring the possibility of appointing an Institution representative on the committee, he said.
Farhan spoke to the issue of abuse and mistreatment of domestic workers, calling on the government to join the international agreement that seeks to protect the rights of domestic workers, so it can harmonise Bahrain’s internal provisions in this regard under one law.