MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman is asserting its efforts through global collaboration to prepare a national cadre to combat human trafficking.
Besides working on legal codes to handle the issue, the authorities are raising public awareness to make the masses understand the problem and report it to competent authorities for follow-up and action.
Several facts came for review at the annual conference on 'Combating Trafficking in Persons: Challenges, Opportunities, and Roles of the National Authorities', which started on Monday under the auspices of Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Foreign Ministry’s Under-Secretary for Diplomatic Affairs, Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking.
The three-day symposium affirms the unity of all national organizations in the fight against human trafficking and the importance the Sultanate of Oman places on raising public awareness and developing expertise through global collaboration to prepare a national cadre to combat human trafficking.
According to Al Harthy, "In May 2020, the Royal Oman Police issued amendments to some provisions of the executive regulations of the Foreigners Law, which stipulated that it is permissible to transfer the residency of a foreigner from one employer to another," and Oman has recently acceded to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. This treaty grants economic, social, and cultural rights to non-self-governing individuals. This is regarded as a significant advancement for workers' rights in the Sultanate of Oman.
CHILD PROTECTION
The Sultanate of Oman has also attached great importance to protecting children, women, and male victims, as it has a designated protection house - Dar Al Wefaq - which provides psychological, social, health, and legal services.
Nasser al Riyami, a consultant at the Public Prosecution, in his report, highlighted that there are standard methods for human trafficking, including sex trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, domestic slavery, and illegal child recruiting. In addition, the custom of remarrying a widow to the sibling of the deceased husband, exchange in marriage - sexual jihad, organ trade, using people for medical experimentation, and exploitation of children in armed conflicts, are some human trafficking practices that people are unaware of.
Some cases of human trafficking noticed in Oman are the development of websites displaying young women engaging in immoral behavior in exchange for money. The authorities keep an eye on some women who travel as tourists.
They arrive at airports without credit cards or enough cash to live a respectable life. Instead, they are given meager money, around RO 300, from some groups abroad.
Al Riyami also noted specific indicators of domestic workers who are victims of human trafficking. They include missing family dinners, never leaving the house for social events, sleeping in an inappropriate or shared area, the sponsor reporting the worker missing while they are still working in their homes, and being fed leftovers. They experience harassment, abuse, or insult.
"While the signs of victims of forced labor include long working hours, intimidation/threats/abuse, not being given the option to choose a place to live, being given leftovers, living in large groups in the same room, not having their wages paid, not dressing in clean clothes, and not being allowed to leave the worksite unless accompanied by their sponsor," Al Riyami pointed out.
Dr. Muhannad al Dowykat highlighted non-commercial exploitation like early marriage (children), forced marriage, temporary marriage, and marriage for giving birth. The forms of child trafficking include prostitution, begging, domestic services, organ removal, sexual tourism, and pornography.
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