Kuwait, UN Make Strides Towards Clamping Down On Human Trafficking

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Report by Nasser Al-Shalaby
KUWAIT, July 30 (KUNA) -- Against the backdrop of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Kuwait and the UN have forged a solid rapport aiming to eradicate human trafficking and the illegal smuggling of migrants, both of which are grave infractions of human rights.
These nefarious crimes represent a major international threat often perpetrated by organized criminal groups with reckless wanton that reduces human lives to as a mere platform for monetary gain, behooving the international community to ratchet up cooperation to deal with the pressing matter.
Such cooperation entails the passing of stiff legislation through global pacts in a bid to keep human trafficking and migrant smuggling in check, subsequently protecting the victims of these crimes, many of whom are innocent women and children who are trafficked through land and water routes alike.
As part of a national commitment to fight human trafficking, Kuwait in 2006 joined the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (also known as the Palermo Protocol), a key international treaty aimed at combating human trafficking, while a national ad hoc committee devoted to the matter was formed in 2018.
More recently, Kuwait in 2023 signed a Declaration of Intent to with the UN's Regional Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for the Gulf Arab region, which aims to hold accountable those complicit in human trafficking and the illegal smuggling of migrants, paving the way for an agreement a year later over the exchange of information on the matter.
Speaking to KUNA, The UNODC's office representative for Gulf Arab states Dr. Hatem Ali said that he was proud of the UN's fruitful partnership with Kuwait, acknowledging national efforts to fight human trafficking in all of its manifestations through a vast array of policies introduced at home, some which date back decades, he said.
He went on to speak of the joint work Kuwait and the UN have pursued as part of efforts to stiffen relevant Kuwaiti legislation, helping propel these laws to international standards, which in turn, is instrumental in detecting any suspected cases of human trafficking or migrant smuggling, the official underlined.
On national measures taken to push forward the fight against human trafficking, he cited a Kuwait interior ministry initiative to form a department devoted to the matter, in addition to similar Kuwaiti foreign ministry efforts to generate awareness about the issue, which include the organization of training courses to develop relevant skills.
The UN's initiative to hold a designated day to address the matter is a testament to its growing significance, the official said, heaping praise on the progress Kuwait has made, through the works of its national committees in its fight against what he described as an "enormous" challenge.
Offering his input on the matter, the head of the International Organization for Migration's (IMO) mission in Kuwait Mazen AboulHosn spoke of the need to "dismantle" organized criminal groups, which exploit the most vulnerable for profit through utter disregard for human safety, he said, applauding Kuwaiti efforts to protect the victims of these crimes.
The IMO's partnership with Kuwait has stretched for 14 years, comprising a slew of initiatives including some 36 training workshops, while a key endeavor was a 2020 initiative in which around 900 state employees were trained on how to assemble public awareness campaigns about the fight against human trafficking.
The UN has described this year's edition of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons as a victim-centred approach, highlighting the "vital role of law enforcement and the criminal justice system in dismantling organized trafficking networks," it said. (end)
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