Staff Reporter
QATAR has initiated a number of reforms aimed at combating trafficking in humans, a top official of the National Office of Combating Trafficking in Humans said yesterday.
Inaugurating a one-day seminar on trafficking in humans at Hotel Millennium, Co-ordinator of the National Office of Combating Trafficking in Humans Maryam Ibrahim al-Malki said since the promulgation of the Emiri decree on combating trafficking in humans in October 2005, Qatar had taken some concrete steps to protect the interests of those affected by various kinds of trafficking.
The setting up of a permanent office to deal with issues related to trafficking stood testimony to Qatar's efforts to deal with the issue in earnest, she said.
Stressing that Qatar had taken several initiatives that few other countries in the region could embark upon in the last one year, Al Malki observed that her office had been co-ordinating well with such forums as the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and Supreme Council for Family Affairs for the introduction of a number of reforms, which she said had aimed at combating trafficking.
Speaking later about the pivotal role of Supreme Council for Family Affairs in combating trafficking in humans, its secretary general Abdulla Bin Nasser al-Khalifa said the forum had been able to monitor and control trafficking activities like those involving women and children of different nationalities. While specifically lauding the interest of Sheikha Hessa al-Thani, UN special rapporteur on disability, in the activities of National Office of Combating Trafficking in Humans, Al-Khalifa said it would motivate them further.
Speaking to Gulf Times later, Dr Mohamed Mattar of the John Hopkins University of USA said Qatar had contributed remarkably to combating trafficking in humans compared to most other countries of the region. The US university official said other countries should consider Qatar as a model while initiating similar reforms to combating trafficking. “Trafficking in humans is a global issue that needs to be addressed well by every nation, in particular in the GCC states where there are greater chances for such trafficking in greater numbers in view of their strategic positioning, remarkable economic growth and increasing migration,” said Dr Mattar.
He said a number of issues having a special bearing on the entire GCC states were highlighted in discussions.
Later a researcher attached to the National Office of Combating Trafficking in Humans said the office, which he described as one of the few organised set-ups of its kind in the region, had dealt with a number of issues since it started functioning about a year ago in the Old Airport area.
The office had come to the rescue of not only women and children, it had also helped a number of house maids, mostly Asians after they were directed by either police or their respective national embassies to seek the office's intervention, he said.
The office has four nurses at its service. It provides medicines in an emergency. There is also a home for lodging trafficking victims and providing care.
Apart from officials of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Immigration, Police, charities and a number of voluntary organisations attended the seminar.
Officials from some diplomatic missions also participated in the discussions. |
