Measures to protect human rights in UAE

geneva — Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, presented details of actions taken to promote human rights in the country, including human trafficking, labour rights and the empowerment of women, at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

The report also listed actions taken by a number of federal and local ministries and departments. The Federal National Council, it noted, had established its Human Rights Committee in 2013, which takes note of relevant bilateral, regional and international conventions relating to human rights. It also works to raise awareness of human rights and facilitates the dissemination of a human rights culture through its engagement with relevant educational and media authorities and institutions.

In the Ministry of Interior, the report said, a wide-ranging series of units and committees have been created to deal with the protection and promotion of human rights. These include the Human Rights Department within the Office of the Inspector General, the Public Authority for Community Protection and Crime Prevention, which oversees a number of departments, including the Juvenile Welfare Department, the Ministry of the Interior Centre for the Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, the Office to Promote a Culture of Respect for the Law, the Federal Community Policing Department, the Federal Social Assistance Department, and the Ministry of the Interior Federal Centre for Child Protection.

Steps to combat human trafficking

Among steps taken to increase awareness of trafficking within the UAE have been the installation of information noticeboards at airports, the use of audio-visual media, the holding of courses for high risk groups and the dissemination of publications in eight languages, aimed at those communities deemed to be most at risk.

In collaboration with the Dubai Police, the Dubai Judicial Institute and a number of specialists from within the country and abroad, including the sub-regional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, training courses have been held for people working in the field of human trafficking, including law enforcement officials and members of relevant government departments and civil society organisations.

Concrete steps have also been taken to provide assistance to the victims of trafficking, this being considered as a key element of the country’s strategic plan. A number of residential centres and other centres providing psychological support for victims have been established.

The most important of these include: The Dubai Association for the Protection of Women and Children, which was founded in 2007 to provide urgent care and support services to victims, in line with international human rights standards. The association provides its services free of charge to female and child victims of domestic violence, children subjected to ill-treatment and victims of human trafficking.

Emirates Red Crescent homes for trafficking victims. This programme, launched in 2008, provides rehabilitation services, including psychological, health and legal assistance, to victims of human trafficking. The first home for male victims of human trafficking was opened in Abu Dhabi in January 2014. In 2013, the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking established its Support Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking. Since its establishment, the Fund has provided US $153,735 in assistance to trafficking victims. — Wam