Tricked and Trapped: Human Trafficking in the Middle East, ‎pdf 4.1 MB

4.2. STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Governments and other key stakeholders have broadened the response to
human trafficking beyond the legal framework in order to more effectively
prevent and punish the crime by enforcing national laws and regulations and
protect identified victims. The details presented here by no means constitute
an exhaustive account of responses by all the actors concerned, but rather
provide a snapshot of the various mechanisms currently used in this evolving
response.
The “Arab Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human
Trafficking”, launched in March 2010 by the Qatar Foundation for
Combating Human Trafficking and the League of Arab States in collaboration
with UNODC, aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of the
region’s criminal justice systems, improve mechanisms for the appropriate
identification, referral, support and protection of trafficking victims, and
raise awareness of the crime and its consequences. 72 “GCC countries, due
to their welfare, stability and high connectivity are very vulnerable to illegal
trafficking in general and human trafficking in particular,” explained the
representative of UNODC to the GCC, adding that “UNODC hopes that
the Arab Initiative might help lead the already existing commitment of the
GCC and Arab States in the right direction, in conformity with international
standards”. 73
The ILO also recently launched a regional programme on the protection
of migrant workers in the Middle East (of which the present research
forms a part), with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation. The ILO will work with its national constituents and other
key partners on improving the labour migration governance framework and
protection mechanisms available in the region. The ILO also has plans for
partnerships with key stakeholders in the region to pursue the fight against
trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation.
72
Qatar Foundation for Combating Human Trafficking: Second Doha Forum on
Combating Human Trafficking, background conference paper for the launch of the Arab
Initiative for Building National Capacities to Combat Human Trafficking, Doha, 16–17
Jan. 2012.
73
Interview with the representative of UNODC for the GCC, Qatar, 16 Jan. 2012.
The purpose of the initiative is to build the capacity of key stakeholders, including
governmental and non-governmental bodies, to promote the development, monitoring
and implementation of national strategies. The Arab Initiative is also focused on
promoting the development of legal and regulatory frameworks in accordance with the
Arab League strategy, establishing an anti-trafficking coalition across the Arab world,
and ensuring that victim care mechanisms are more accommodating to all forms of
trafficking and the gender of victims.
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