‘GCC countries more prone to human trafficking’

Manama : The Gulf region’s geographical location and the fact that it is “a region of prosperity”, makes it an easy target for human traffickers, according to an expert from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

UNODC GCC Representative and Head of Office Hatem Fouad Aly also warned that the exploitation and trafficking of refugees in the GCC region would remain a concern, as along as conflicts prolong in Middle East.

He was speaking to DT News on the sidelines of a workshop organised yesterday by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) in collaboration with the United Nations Office. 50 experts from 12 countries from the MENA region participated in the workshop

“The whole world is affected by the political situation and conflict in the Arab region. As the number of people who suffer from the conflicts rise, their exploitation also increases,” he said.

“Displacement from home, migration and being a refugee is a state of vulnerability. Unless we work together to reduce this vulnerability of the displaced, we can see an increase in the number of human trafficking victims,” the expert added. 

Fouad Aly stated that GCC faces more risk of being targeted by the waves of trafficking as it is an international trade and travel hub.

“The authorities in the GCC are well aware of the challenges they are facing and they are putting efforts to resolve it at a national and international level through their partnership with the United Nations,” Hatem Fouad Aly said. 

Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer Ausamah Al Absi said, “People tend to associate trafficking with sex trade but this definition is not applicable here. We need to refocus the attention towards employment and labour practices as an entrance towards potential victimisation.”