Vienna, Feb 14 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a contribution of $15 million to the fight against human trafficking, WAM news agency reported Thursday.
The announcement was made at the UN forum for the global initiative against human trafficking by UAE state minister of the federal national council affairs Anwar Mohammed Al Gargash.
Addressing the forum he said, “The donation is in line with conviction of the UAE on setting up a forum which includes countries, UN agencies, governmental agencies and non-governmental sector to work together under one umbrella”.
Gargash added that no country can combat human trafficking alone and therefore the source and destination countries of such human trade should cooperate.
In April 2007, the UAE Cabinet created the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT) to coordinate between federal ministries and local departments to enforce anti-human trafficking legislations.
Gargash, who heads the NCCHT said, “The government of the UAE is paying attention to monitoring and preventing any abuses of its expatriate workforce as part of its efforts to prosecute traffickers”.
He said that the introduction of e-wage payment system, whereby employers must pay salaries monthly into banks, the regular inspection of workers’ accommodation and the implementation of unified employment contract for domestic helpers since April 2007 were few examples of efforts in this direction.
In May 2007, the UAE ratified the UN Trans-national Organised Crime Convention, which calls for international cooperation in efforts to combat human trafficking.
“We also plan to play a proactive role in forging new constructive international initiatives like the Vienna-based UNGIFT – (the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking),” Gargash added.