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UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM                                           March 24, 2003


To:       No Action Addressee                                    

Action:   Unknown                                                

From:     AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 1414 - PRIORITY)        

TAGS:     PHUM, ASEC, PREF, ELAB, KCRM, KFRD                     

Captions: None                                                   

Subject:  UAE: 2003 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT                

Ref:      None                                                   
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UNCLAS        ABU DHABI 01414

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    ACTION: POL 
    INFO:   ECON AMB RSO DCM P/M 

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: DCM: RAALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: POL: MMENARD
CLEARED: CGD; POL; ECON

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RUEHTA RUEHKB RUEHKA RUEHIL RUEHBJ RUEHRB RUEHEK RUEHYE
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DE RUEHAD #1414/01 0831331
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241331Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9029
INFO RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0317
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 0042
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0001
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0154
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1167
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0099
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0252
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0022
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 0002
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0153
RUEHDI/AMCONSUL DUBAI 2920

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 26 ABU DHABI 001414 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR G, G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, NEA, NEA/RA 
AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
PREL, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE: 2003 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 
 
REF: STATE 22225 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE 
PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  Embassy point of contact on trafficking in persons 
is Poloff Marlene M. Menard, office: + 971 (0)2 
4436691 ext. 2502, fax: + 971 (0)2 4434771; unclass 
email: menardmm2@state.gov. 
 
¶2.  OMB Reporting Requirements:  One FS-04 officer 
spent about 30 hours writing the report.  One FS-04 
officer spent 3 hours reviewing and clearing the 
report.  Two FS-02 officers spent a total of four 
hours reviewing and clearing the report.  One FS-01 
officer spent two hours reviewing and clearing the 
report. 
 
¶3.  Following is Post's submission of the 2003 
Trafficking in Persons Report for the United Arab 
Emirates covering the reporting period of April 2003 
- April 2003. 
 
¶4.  Overview of a country's activities to eliminate 
trafficking in persons: 
 
-- A.  Is the country a country of origin, transit or 
destination for international trafficked men, women, 
or children?  Does the trafficking occur within the 
country's borders?  Does it occur in territory outside 
of the government's control (e.g., in a civil war 
situation)?  Are any estimates or reliable numbers 
available as to the extent or magnitude of the 
problem?  Please include any numbers of victims.  What 
is (are) the source(s) of available information on 
trafficking in persons?  How reliable are the numbers 
and these sources?  Are certain groups of persons more 
at risk of being trafficked (e.g., women and children, 
boys versus girls, certain ethnic 
groups, refugees, etc.)? 
 
The UAE is a destination country for internationally 
trafficked women and boys.  Trafficking does not 
occur within the UAE's borders.  There is no UAE 
territory outside of the government's control. 
 
There are no verified numbers available as to the 
extent of the problem.  Reports by NGOs and 
intergovernmental organizations contain estimates on 
the parameters of the problem in the UAE based on 
research conducted in source countries, which rely 
heavily on surveys and interviews of women and 
anecdotal evidence.  These reports also tend to 
reflect estimates of the number of victims trafficked 
to the UAE over the years.  While such estimates and 
information can be useful in defining the problem's 
general historical parameters, they are less useful 
in determining the number of persons trafficked to 
the UAE during the current reporting period. 
 
Groups of persons that tend to be more at risk of 
being trafficked to the UAE include:  boys for use as 
camel jockeys and women for purposes of prostitution. 
 
Foreign diplomats report that many child camel 
jockeys in the UAE came here with their parents 
because of dire economic conditions back home or were 
sold by their families to unscrupulous middlemen from 
the source country who arrange for their travel to 
the UAE.  There are no statistics or estimates as to 
how many boys were actually kidnapped and trafficked 
here and how many came here with or with the full 
knowledge and consent of their families. 
 
Many women engaged in prostitution in the UAE 
reportedly voluntarily and knowingly travel to and 
from the UAE for temporary stays, during which they 
engage in prostitution and possibly other activities 
connected with organized crime.  There are few 
statistics or estimates as to how many of the women 
engaging in prostitution in the UAE were actually 
trafficked here and how many came here and stayed of 
their own volition. 
 
-- B.  Where are the persons trafficked from?  Where 
are the persons trafficked to? 
 
NGOs report that boys for use as camel jockeys are 
trafficked to the UAE primarily from South Asia, 
namely, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 
NGOs and intergovernmental organizations report that 
women who have traveled to the UAE for purposes of 
prostitution are brought here mostly from countries in 
Central Asia and Eastern Europe, namely, Russia, the 
Kyrgyz Republic, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, 
Uzbekistan, as well as from Iran and Morocco.  There 
are also reports that women from China have traveled 
to the UAE for purposes of prostitution.  As noted in 
paragraph A above, there are no verified statistics as 
to how many women traveling to the UAE for purposes of 
prostitution are actually trafficking victims. 
 
-- C.  Have there been any changes in the direction or 
extent of trafficking? 
 
Since research on the issue of trafficking in persons 
to the UAE is limited, it is difficult to determine 
whether there have been any changes in the direction 
or extent of trafficking to the UAE.  Because there is 
no baseline of information on trafficking in persons 
to the UAE, the reports published over the past 
several years in Central Asian and Eastern European 
source countries help shed light on the scope of the 
problem, but are of little benefit in determining 
whether there have been any changes in the direction 
or extent of trafficking to the UAE. 
 
UAEG officials expect that the child camel jockey ban 
effective 1 September 2002 will impact the extent of 
trafficking in boys to the UAE because it will 
eliminate the market for child camel jockeys and the 
corresponding incentive to traffic boys to the UAE for 
this purpose.  UAEG officials acknowledge that they 
have not yet achieved 100 percent compliance with the 
ban, but stress that they are earnestly working 
towards attaining this goal through inspections at 
races. 
 
-- D.  Are any efforts or surveys planned or underway 
to document the extent and nature of trafficking in 
the country?  Is any additional information available 
from such reports or surveys that was not available 
last year? 
 
The UAEG is currently conducting a general amnesty 
program in an attempt to address illegal migration 
into the country.  The amnesty program, from January 
through April 2003, allows persons who have 
overstayed their visas or who entered the country 
without visas to leave the country without penalty of 
prosecution for immigration violations. 
 
So that the UAEG can better monitor immigration 
patterns in the future, the UAEG is updating its 
immigration databases with information received from 
a questionnaire to be completed by all amnesty- 
seekers.  The questionnaire includes questions on how 
the amnesty applicants arrived in the country, who 
assisted them in coming and staying here, what they 
have been doing and whether they have been working 
while here, etc.  Immigration officials indicated 
that questionnaires completed by amnesty-seekers 
containing information suggesting criminal activity, 
including trafficking in persons, are referred to law 
enforcement authorities for investigation. 
 
The UAEG has also instituted the use of retinal scans 
to add biometrics identification information to its 
databases.  Biometrics information will help UAEG 
authorities better monitor migration and combat 
document fraud by visitors and illegal immigrants, 
for example, the use of false names and birthdays in 
passports and other identification papers. 
 
Labor Ministry officials indicated that statistical 
information received from the general amnesty program 
would help them identify labor law violation 
practices and trends so that they can better manage 
the labor market and protect worker rights. 
 
The amnesty program is not designed specifically to 
determine the extent or the magnitude of trafficking 
in persons to the UAE.  However, UAEG officials state 
that statistical analyses based on amnesty program 
information will provide them with a foundation from 
which they can monitor trafficking in persons and 
estimate the magnitude of the problem. 
 
-- E.  If the country is a destination point for 
trafficked victims:  What kind of conditions are the 
victims trafficked into?  Are they forced to work in 
sweatshops, agriculture, restaurants, construction 
sites, prostitution, nude dancing, domestic servitude, 
begging, or other forms of labor, exploitation, or 
services?  What methods are used to ensure their 
compliance?  Are the victims subject to violence, 
threats, withholding of their documents, debt bondage, 
etc.? 
 
NGO and IOM reports and anecdotal evidence indicate 
that conditions for trafficking victims are varied. 
 
In the past, credible sources reported that almost 
all camel jockeys were boys between the ages of 4 and 
10, some of whom were trafficked to the country by 
small, organized gangs.  The traffickers obtained the 
youths, usually from poor families in Pakistan and 
Bangladesh, by kidnapping, or in some instances by 
buying them from their parents outright or taking 
them under false pretenses, and then smuggling them 
into the country.  Some children reported being 
beaten while working as jockeys, and others were 
injured seriously during races.  Some of the boys 
were underfed to make them as light as possible.  The 
boys often did not receive compensation for their 
services since many times the trafficker posed as the 
child's parent and received the child's salary from 
the camel farm owner. 
 
Reports and anecdotal evidence indicate that women 
trafficked to the UAE were often brought to the 
country under the false pretense of legitimate 
employment, but then were forced into prostitution. 
It is unclear whether the women actually signed 
contracts of employment or traveled to the UAE based 
on employment promises only.  When the women arrived 
in the country, the traffickers did not provide the 
promised employment, took their passports, and forced 
them to engage in prostitution to repay their travel 
and other expenses.  Some of these women were confined 
to residences.  Because the traffickers only paid the 
women small amounts of money, the women found it 
difficult to repay these debts.  The traffickers also 
warned the women that they would be arrested if they 
sought help from the police or others for immigration 
violations or other criminal offenses.  Some women 
were threatened with physical abuse. 
-- F.  If the country is a country of origin:  Which 
populations are targeted by the traffickers?  Who are 
the traffickers?  What methods are used to approach 
victims?  (Are they offered lucrative jobs, sold by 
their families, approached by friends of friends, 
etc.?)  What methods are used to move the victims 
(e.g., are false documents being used)? 
The UAE is not a country of origin for trafficking. 
 
-- G.  Is there political will at the highest levels 
of government to combat trafficking in persons?  Is 
the government making a good faith effort to seriously 
address trafficking?  Is there a willingness to take 
action against government officials linked to TIP?  In 
broad terms, what resources is the host government 
devoting to combating trafficking in persons (in terms 
of prevention, protection, prosecution)? 
 
Senior government leadership exhibited strong 
political will to combat trafficking in persons, and 
the UAEG made a concerted good faith effort to 
seriously address trafficking in persons. 
 
In an effort to eradicate the trafficking of boys to 
the UAE for use as camel jockeys, the UAEG announced 
in July 2002 that it would criminalize the decades- 
long practice of employing child camel jockeys 
effective 1 September 2002.  This ban was announced 
despite strong resistance from some tradition-bound 
camel farm owners.  The Government also tightened 
controls at points of entry into the country for boys 
under the age of 15 years and mandated the 
repatriation of child camel jockeys in the UAE to 
their home countries for reunification with their 
families. 
 
In October 2002, Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent 
letters to various source countries' foreign 
ministers, asking for their cooperation and 
coordination in addressing this transnational crime 
of humanitarian concern. 
 
In November 2002, UAEG officials engaged in 
discussions on trafficking in persons with USG 
officials at the first U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue 
held in Washington, D.C.  In February 2003, Minister 
of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed 
Al Nahyan wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Colin 
Powell, as a follow-up, and reiterated the UAEG's 
commitment to fighting trafficking in persons.  In 
that letter, the Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs also advised the Secretary of the creation of 
a new UAE trafficking in persons task force. 
 
UAEG political will was further apparent during the 
U.S. State Department official visit of Sally 
Neumann, G/TIP, and Barbara Keary, NEA/RA, to the UAE 
in January 2003.  During the visit, the USG officials 
met with high-ranking officials from the Ministries 
of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice, Health and 
Labor and the Dubai Police Department, including the 
Dubai Police Human Rights Department Director.  The 
Emirati officials all confirmed the UAEG's commitment 
to monitor and combat trafficking in persons. 
 
The UAEG senior leadership has repeatedly requested 
information on training opportunities that 
specifically address combating trafficking in 
persons, to help law enforcement officials, 
prosecutors and judges better identify, investigate 
and prosecute trafficking in persons cases.  After 
receiving information on USG training opportunities 
in February 2003, Post presented the information to 
the Office of the Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs, which forwarded the information to the 
Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice for 
consideration. 
 
There are no reports that UAEG officials are linked 
to trafficking in persons.  In the past, the UAEG has 
investigated and prosecuted government officials 
suspected of committing criminal offenses, e.g., 
embezzlement and fraud.  This willingness to take 
action against government officials suspected of 
illegal activity indicates that the UAEG would take 
action against government officials linked to 
trafficking in persons. 
 
-- H.  Do governmental authorities or individual 
members of government forces facilitate trafficking, 
condone trafficking, or are otherwise complicit in 
such activities?  If so, at what levels?  Do 
government authorities (such as customs, border 
guards, immigration officials, local police, or 
others) receive bribes from traffickers or otherwise 
assist in their operations?  What punitive measures, 
if any, have been taken against those individuals 
complicit or involved in trafficking?  Please provide 
numbers, when available, of government officials 
involved, accused, convicted and/or prosecuted. 
 
Government policy does not facilitate or condone 
trafficking.  There are no reports that governmental 
authorities or individual members of government forces 
facilitate trafficking, condone trafficking, or are 
otherwise complicit in such activities.  There are 
also no reports that government authorities receive 
bribes from traffickers or otherwise assist in their 
operations. 
 
In the past, the UAEG has investigated and prosecuted 
government officials suspected of committing criminal 
offenses, e.g., embezzlement and fraud.  Because of 
this willingness to take action against government 
officials suspected of illegal activity, it is 
expected that the UAEG would take action against 
government authorities that facilitate trafficking, 
condone trafficking, or are otherwise complicit in 
such activities, or that receive bribes from 
traffickers or otherwise assist in their operations. 
 
-- I.  What are the limitations on the government's 
ability to address this problem in practice?  For 
example, is funding for police or other institutions 
inadequate?  Is overall corruption a problem?  Does 
the government lack the resources to aid victims? 
 
There are no limitations on the UAEG's ability to 
address trafficking in persons.  The Government has 
taken many concrete steps to fight trafficking in 
persons to the UAE, and it is expected that the UAEG 
will successfully achieve its goal to fully monitor 
and combat trafficking in persons in a reasonable 
amount of time.  However, certain factors limit the 
UAEG's ability to take actions within a short period 
of time. 
 
The UAE gained its independence in 1971.  Although a 
young country, it has transcended rapidly from an 
undeveloped country to a dynamic regional economic 
power with an advanced infrastructure and a diverse 
urbanized population with residents from about 201 
different countries.  The UAE is also an open country 
with a vibrant tourism industry, and is a busy transit 
hub for international travel and trade.  As a result 
of the country's rapid modernization and growth, the 
federal Government is increasingly tasked with 
responding to complex issues of international concern, 
many of which involve foreign organized criminal 
groups, including terrorism, money laundering, as well 
as trafficking in persons, drugs, arms, and weapons of 
mass destruction. 
 
A loose federation comprised of seven individual 
emirates, the UAEG is governed by consensus of the 
seven emirates' rulers.  The federal Government 
asserts primacy in matters of foreign and defense 
policy, some aspects of internal security, and 
increasingly in matters of law and the supply of some 
government services.  However, the loose federal 
structure and requirement for consensus impacts quick 
action on some matters. 
 
The bureaucratic process to pass legislation, accede 
to international treaties or create national 
strategies can sometimes be lengthy.  The Justice 
Ministry oversees the passage of new legislation and 
accession to bilateral or multilateral treaties.  An 
inter-ministerial Technical Committee works to draft 
agreed language, which then goes for approval to a 
second inter-ministerial Political Committee that 
includes representatives from each Emirate.  The 
Political Committee is charged with achieving 
consensus on the draft language from the seven 
emirates.  Once consensus is achieved, the draft 
language is presented to the Federal National Council 
(FNC) for debate and consideration.  Once the FNC 
concludes its consideration, it makes a recommendation 
on the draft language to the federal Cabinet, which 
then reviews and considers the draft language for 
passage into law. 
 
Despite the normally lengthy process involved with 
passing new legislation, the Minister of State for 
Foreign Affairs led the effort to criminalize the use 
of child camel jockeys in record time.  The 
announcement of the child camel jockey ban in July 
2002 was made only months after he decided to lead the 
effort to criminalize the use of child camel jockeys. 
Our interlocutors report that he pushed the ban 
through the bureaucracy because of his desire to 
terminate this practice before the beginning of the 
next camel racing season in October 2002. 
 
Consistent enforcement of laws throughout the country 
is sometimes affected by the relative independence of 
security and police forces in each emirate.  While all 
emirate internal security organs theoretically are 
branches of one federal organization, in practice they 
operate with considerable independence.  And, each 
emirate maintains its own independent police force. 
 
Some cultural characteristics also hamper the 
Government's ability to immediately address some 
trafficking in persons issues.  For example, camel 
racing is a traditional sport.  In the past, camel 
owners or their sons raced camels.  Over the years, 
boys have been increasingly used as camel jockeys, 
many of whom are offered for employment to camel 
owners by their parents.  The UAEG leadership states 
that they are working to change attitudes that accept 
the use of boys as camel jockeys.  Because this change 
will take time, the UAEG leadership acknowledges that 
they have not yet been able to achieve total 
compliance with the ban, but are working earnestly to 
meet this goal through inspections at races. 
The country has the resources to adequately fund its 
police and other institutions and to aid victims. 
However, federal ministry and local department budgets 
are determined on an annual basis.  Consequently, 
although the UAE is a wealthy country, the institution 
of new programs may be required to wait until the next 
budget grant when monies can be allocated for those 
new programs. 
 
There have been a few cases of officials prosecuted 
for public corruption.  However, public corruption in 
the UAEG is not a major problem and should not detract 
from the UAEG's ability to tackle trafficking in 
persons. 
 
¶4.  Prevention: 
 
-- A.  Does the government acknowledge that 
trafficking is a problem in that country?  If no, why 
not? 
 
The UAEG acknowledges that trafficking in persons is a 
problem.  The senior leadership has noted a number of 
times that this transnational crime must be addressed 
for humanitarian as well as national security reasons. 
Emirati officials have described trafficking in 
persons as a disease that must be eradicated before 
more people are victimized.  UAEG officials also 
recognize that a failure to attack organized crime in 
this area opens the country to organized crime in 
other areas, such as drugs or weapons.  Officials in 
Dubai were shocked, for instance, by the recent 
gangland-style murder of a prominent Dubai-based 
Indian businessman with connections to the underworld. 
 
In October 2002, Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent 
letters to various source countries' foreign 
ministers, asking for their cooperation and 
coordination in addressing trafficking in persons. 
 
In November 2002, UAEG officials engaged in 
discussions on trafficking in persons with USG 
officials at the first U.S.-UAE Strategic Dialogue 
held in Washington, D.C.  In February 2003, Minister 
of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayed 
Al Nahyan wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Colin 
Powell, as a follow-up, and reiterated the UAEG's 
commitment to fighting trafficking in persons.  In 
that letter, the Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs also advised the Secretary of the creation of 
a new trafficking in persons task force. 
 
The UAEG's acknowledgment of trafficking to the UAE 
was apparent during the U.S. State Department official 
visit of Sally Neumann, G/TIP, and Barbara Keary, 
NEA/RA, to the UAE in January 2003.  The USG officials 
met with high-ranking officials from the Ministries of 
Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice, Health and Labor. 
They also met with officers from the Dubai Police 
Department, including the Dubai Police Human Rights 
Department Director.  The Emirati officials all 
acknowledged that trafficking in persons to the UAE is 
a problem and sought engagement on the issue.  The 
UAEG officials briefed the USG officials on Government 
actions that impact and combat trafficking in persons 
and requested assistance in other areas. 
-- B.  Which government agencies are involved in anti- 
trafficking efforts? 
 
Both federal ministries and local emirate departments 
are involved in anti-trafficking efforts.  Some 
efforts are specifically designed to combat 
trafficking in persons.  Other efforts are not 
specifically designed to combat trafficking in persons 
but have that effect because such efforts help in the 
prevention of trafficking, prosecution of trafficking, 
and protection of trafficking victims. 
 
On the federal level, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of 
Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and 
Ministry of Information are involved actively in anti- 
trafficking efforts.  On the local level, the police 
departments, immigration departments, and social 
services departments are also involved. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively involved 
in a number of anti-trafficking efforts.  In July 
2002, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs led 
the campaign to eradicate the trafficking of boys for 
use as camel jockeys by announcing a ban on child 
camel jockeys with criminal penalties for violators, 
mandating the repatriation of boys currently in the 
country working as child camel jockeys to their home 
countries for reunification with their families, and 
ordering increased security measures by immigration 
officials at ports of entry. 
 
The child camel jockey ban prohibits the use of camel 
jockeys less than 15 years of age and who weigh less 
than 45 kilograms (99 pounds).  The Government 
established the following penalties for violators of 
the child camel jockey ban: first offense, fine of 
approximately $5,500 (20,000 dirhams); second offense, 
ban from participation in camel races for one year; 
third and subsequent offenses, imprisonment. 
 
The UAEG implemented the age and weight requirements 
by requiring all camel jockeys to apply for and 
receive a government-issued identification (ID) card. 
To verify the ID card applicant's age and guard 
against document fraud, e.g., a passport that 
indicates the child is 15 years when he is actually 
only 12 years, the UAEG issues ID cards only after a 
positive physical examination by a medical committee 
through the use of x-rays and other tests that confirm 
that the child is at least 15 years of age.  In 
January 2003, the UAEG instituted an additional 
requirement of DNA tests to further guard against 
document fraud and apprehend traffickers by ensuring 
that the person presenting the boy for ID application 
is in fact the biological parent of the child.  UAEG 
officials indicate that if the person presenting the 
boy for ID application is not the biological parent of 
the child, then the application is referred to law 
enforcement authorities for investigation for 
trafficking. 
 
The Government is enforcing the child camel jockey ban 
through inspections at races.  Although UAEG officials 
state that they have not yet achieved 100 percent 
compliance with the child camel jockey ban, the 
Government officials indicate that they are working 
earnestly to achieve this goal. 
 
In October 2002, the Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs contacted the Ministers of Foreign Affairs for 
various source countries, initiating bilateral 
cooperation and coordination in monitoring and 
combating trafficking in persons and in repatriation 
of victims.  UAE Embassies in source countries also 
contacted the governments of the source countries in 
this regard. 
In February 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
announced the creation of a new trafficking in 
persons task force.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
is currently considering the best method to 
institutionalize follow-up on monitoring and 
combating trafficking in persons.  An option under 
consideration includes an office to coordinate and 
follow-up on ministries' actions.  The UAEG is also 
currently considering membership in the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM). 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the 
attendance of two Emirati officials, one representing 
the Ministry of Justice and one representing the Dubai 
Police Department, at the February 2003 "Pathbreaking 
Strategies in the Global Fight Against Sex 
Trafficking" Conference in Washington D.C.  The MFA is 
also currently shepherding information on USG training 
opportunities on trafficking in persons to the 
Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice. 
 
The Ministry of Justice took the lead in the UAEG's 
accession in December 2002 to the UN Convention 
Against Transnational Organized Crime.  The Ministry 
of Justice is also currently taking the lead in the 
UAEG's consideration and reported upcoming accession 
to that Convention's Supplemental Protocol to Prevent, 
Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially 
Women and Children, and Supplemental Protocol Against 
the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air. 
 
The Ministry of Justice's Institute for Judicial 
Training and Studies includes mandatory courses for 
prosecutors and judges on subjects that generally 
impact trafficking in persons, including human rights, 
sex offenses, immigration violations and labor 
violations.  Justice Ministry officials requested and 
are currently considering information on training 
opportunities that specifically address trafficking in 
persons, namely the recently-released USDOJ OPDAT 
trafficking in persons training program that we 
provided to the Ministry of Justice as soon as it was 
available.  The Ministry of Justice purview includes 
prosecutors as well as judges.  A representative from 
the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Prosecutor in Al 
Ain, Abu Dhabi Emirate, attended the February 2003 
"Pathbreaking Strategies in the Global Fight Against 
Sex Trafficking" Conference in Washington D.C. 
 
Ministry of Justice officials report that they are 
reviewing U.S. legislation and the Trafficking 
Protocol to determine whether UAE existing legislation 
covers all aspects of trafficking in persons.  If not, 
then Ministry of Justice officials indicate that a 
determination will be made as to whether supplemental 
legislation will suffice or whether new comprehensive 
legislation on trafficking in persons is warranted. 
 
Regarding the child camel jockey ban, the Ministry of 
Health organized the medical committees that conduct 
the medical tests to estimate the age of the camel 
jockey identification applicants.  The Ministry of 
Health also conducts the applicant/parent DNA testing. 
 
Ministry of Health officials acknowledge the health 
problems affecting trafficking victims, especially 
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, and the 
possible resulting public health issues.  The Health 
Ministry maintains social workers/counselors in all 
public hospitals to which medical personnel refer 
patients when sexual or other abuse is suspected.  The 
social workers/counselors are also available for 
consultation by patients in the absence of such 
suspicion.  The local police departments also maintain 
officers in public hospitals that are immediately 
accessible in the event a patient is suspected to be a 
victim of a criminal offense. 
 
The Ministry of Health issues annual health cards to 
workers, which they initially receive after passing a 
physical examination upon arrival to the UAE.  The 300 
dirhams (about $82) health cards are provided by 
employers to employees for free medical treatment and 
medication to employees and their dependents at public 
hospitals.  Annual physical exams for employees are 
required to renew the health cards.  Domestic servants 
are subject to these annual exams even though they are 
not covered by the Labor Code.  During this exam, 
medical personnel with specialized abuse-detection 
training make inquiries and look for signs of sexual 
or physical abuse.  The Ministry of Health also makes 
available at public hospitals brochures about domestic 
violence and sexual and physical abuse with 
information on who to contact for help or assistance. 
 
Ministry of Health officials also report that the 
Ministry actively conducts health education outreach 
to community associations (many of the more than 201 
nationalities resident in the UAE have community 
associations) and foreign embassies.  In March 2003, 
the Ministry of Health announced that it would soon 
begin widespread distribution of a booklet on 
communicable diseases, covering their causes, 
treatment and how to report them to authorities. 
 
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs manages the 
work force and labor market and enforces compliance 
with the labor law through inspections.  The Ministry 
of Labor and Social Affairs also reviews employment 
contracts for workers in the industrial and service 
sectors to ensure compliance with the labor laws. 
 
In 2002, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs 
began distributing an information booklet to foreign 
workers outlining their rights under the labor law and 
how to pursue labor disputes, whether individual or 
collective.  The booklet includes information on work 
permits, employment contracts and labor cards, private 
recruitment agencies, work hours and leave, 
compensation for work injuries and occupational 
diseases, labor disputes, employment contract 
termination, end of service benefits, transfer of 
sponsorship and repatriation.  The booklet also 
contains contact information for the Ministry of Labor 
and addresses and telephone numbers for all foreign 
missions in the UAE. 
 
Ministry of Labor officials stated that they 
distributed the information booklets to embassies and 
consulates in the UAE, focusing on those with large 
numbers of citizens working here, and requested the 
foreign diplomats to assist in the distribution of the 
information booklets to their citizens already present 
and working in the UAE.  Ministry of Labor officials 
also requested the foreign missions to assist in 
providing the information booklets to prospective 
employees in their countries prior to their departure 
for the UAE. 
 
Employees may file individual employment dispute or 
collective work dispute complaints with the Ministry 
of Labor.  Press reports continually reflect the 
active involvement of the Labor Ministry in resolving 
such disputes.  In individual complaints, the employee 
may file a complaint with special labor courts if the 
Labor Ministry is unable to mediate a resolution by 
agreement of the parties.  The Labor Ministry also 
mediates collective work disputes.  However, if the 
Labor Ministry is unable to successfully mediate a 
collective work dispute, the dispute is referred to a 
Labor Ministry Conciliation Committee for arbitration. 
Either party may appeal the Conciliation Committee's 
decision to a Labor Ministry Supreme Committee of 
Conciliation, whose decision is final. 
 
In May 2001, the Government introduced a new law 
requiring some employers to deposit monetary 
guarantees with third-party banks.  The purpose of the 
guarantee was to decrease the growing number of cases 
in which employees worked, sometimes for months, 
without wages.  The amount of the guarantee increased 
according to the number of workers employed by the 
depositor.  In May 2002, the Labor Ministry announced 
that the institution of bank guarantees to protect 
rights of workers had been mostly successful as the 
number of labor disputes, especially in companies that 
were required to deposit large bank guarantees, had 
decreased.  After reports that some employers were 
making their employees pay the amount of the bank 
guarantee, in September 2002 the Labor Ministry 
publicly warned employers that such actions were labor 
law violations because employers are responsible for 
providing the bank guarantees and that it would take 
strict action against companies that deducted the 
value of the bank guarantee from their workers' 
salaries. 
 
In May 2002, the Labor Ministry announced it would not 
tolerate the violation of the rights of workers, 
especially those of low-income laborers, and increased 
and intensified inspections.  In August 2002, the 
Labor Ministry announced that 215 companies had been 
blacklisted (suspended from submitting applications 
for new work permits or sponsorship transfers) and 
fined for labor law violations.  In September 2002, 
the Labor Ministry blacklisted a company for failure 
to comply with an agreement with the Ministry to pay 
outstanding backpay of five months to 300 workers. 
 
In response to inspections revealing a high incidence 
of labor law violations by private companies, in June 
2002 the Labor Ministry announced the creation of a 
special task force to inspect all industrial 
establishments in the private sector.  In November 
2002, 54 additional labor inspectors began work, 
increasing the number of labor inspectors to about 
¶120.  Labor inspectors review a number of items 
during inspection, including payment of wages, hours 
worked, safety and health requirements.  The 
inspections include a review of business records as 
well as employee interviews.  In February 2003, the 
Labor Ministry announced that it had prepared 
guidelines for labor inspectors as part of a 
comprehensive plan to upgrade inspections. 
 
In an effort to reduce the practice of "sham" 
companies, which apply for and receive work permits 
for employees but do not actually provide them with 
employment, a special committee appointed by the 
federal Cabinet Committee reviewed data provided by 
the Ministry of Labor and released a report in 
November 2002 with recommendations on how to 
eliminate this practice, including stricter scrutiny 
of commercial license and work permit applications. 
 
In March 2003, Labor Ministry officials announced a 
new requirement for private companies to reduce the 
incidence of unpaid wages and "sham" companies.  Upon 
request from the Labor Ministry, private companies 
must furnish periodic reports, certified by 
professional auditors, showing regular payment of 
workers' salaries and/or the location of workers 
sponsored by the company, whether working for the 
sponsor company or other companies.  Labor Ministry 
officials stated that these requirements are 
currently being applied to construction and 
maintenance companies.  Other types of companies, 
however, may be required to submit these reports in 
the future if they fail to pay workers' salaries 
regularly as required by employment contracts and the 
labor law.  Companies that do not comply with this 
new reporting requirement will be blacklisted -- 
their commercial licenses will be suspended and they 
will be banned from obtaining new employment visas. 
Non-compliant companies will also be subject to fines 
and/or imprisonment of their owners/managers for 
labor code violations as provided by law. 
 
In February 2003, the Ministry of Labor announced the 
completion of a draft proposal expressly authorizing 
the creation of labor and trade unions.  Once 
approved by the Cabinet, the Ministry plans to 
establish a new department responsible for handling 
matters related to unions.  Groups of twenty or more 
nationals working in a profession or trade will be 
permitted to organize to protect their rights and 
interests; foreign workers in the UAE for more than 
six years will be allowed to join as associate 
members but will not be permitted to vote or contest 
elections.  Organizations will be allowed to join 
Arab or international trade unions and a UAE Unified 
Labor Federation may be established. 
 
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of 
Health, municipalities, and civil defense work 
together to enforce health and safety standards, and 
the Government requires every large industrial concern 
to employ a certified occupational safety officer. 
 
The Ministry of Information and Culture helped 
increase public awareness with an extensive 
information campaign in the English and Arabic press 
about trafficking in boys for use as camel jockeys. 
The information campaign was conducted in conjunction 
with the announcement of the child camel jockey ban in 
July 2002 and for months thereafter. 
 
The Ministry of Interior oversaw the implementation 
and enforcement of the child camel jockey ban in 
coordination with local governments and police 
departments.  The Ministry of Interior also 
spearheaded the inclusion of DNA testing as a part of 
the camel jockey identification card issuance process. 
 
The Ministry of Interior's Department of 
Naturalization and Residency oversees the current 
amnesty program.  It worked closely with the Ministry 
of Labor in designing the program and information- 
gathering questionnaire to better monitor migration 
patterns, including trafficking in persons. 
 
In January 2003, Ministry of Interior officials 
indicated that they continue to work on developing 
channels to exchange information with other 
governments on organized crime, including trafficking 
in persons. 
UAE labor laws do not cover domestic workers and 
agricultural workers.  Consequently, the Ministry of 
Interior's Department of Naturalization and Residency 
reviewed the contracts of foreign domestic employees 
as part of residency permit processing to ensure that 
the negotiated salaries and terms are adequate. 
 
To guard against involuntary servitude, in January 
2003, the UAEG announced new regulations requiring a 
mandatory unified contract for domestic workers and 
agricultural workers.  The contract regulates the 
employer-employee relationship and specifies rights 
granted to the employee.  The regulations provide that 
the UAEG review the employer's ability to pay the 
worker before the work permit is granted.  The 
regulations also provide that the worker may complain 
of unified contract violations to the Ministry of 
Labor's Labor Dispute Department. 
 
In an effort to combat prostitution, the Dubai police 
conduct special patrols in areas frequented by 
prostitutes and the immigration and police forces use 
special units to conduct raids and sting operations in 
areas where prostitutes are known to frequent.  In May 
2002, the Ras Al-Khaimah Emirate police and 
immigration authorities coordinated raids on several 
massage parlors on tips that the parlors were centers 
for prostitution.  Law enforcement authorities state 
that women arrested for prostitution are interviewed 
to determine whether they might be victims of forced 
prostitution or trafficking in persons.  During the 
interview, the officials reportedly ask the women how 
they came to the UAE, who assisted them in traveling 
here and where they have been staying while in the 
UAE. 
 
In April 2003, the Dubai Police Department will host 
an FBI Organized Crime Undercover Operations training 
program at the Middle East Law Enforcement Training 
Center.  Law enforcement officers representing all 
local police departments are expected to attend. 
This specialized training will help to combat 
trafficking in persons to the UAE since organized 
crime groups reportedly commit most trafficking 
offenses. 
 
In 2002, the Dubai Police Human Rights Department 
conducted an outreach program to foreign missions to 
advise of programs and services available to residents 
and visitors.  The Human Rights Department maintains 
an Office of Social Services and Human Rights at 
police stations throughout Dubai Emirate staffed with 
human rights officers and social workers/counselors. 
These officers are available to assist complainants 
and victims, including victims of trafficking in 
persons. 
 
Two members of the Dubai Police Department, the Human 
Rights Department Director and the Al Rashidiya Police 
District Director, attended the State Department's 
International Visitor Program on Trafficking in 
Persons in June 2002.  The Dubai Police Department 
Human Rights Director also attended the February 2003 
"Pathbreaking Strategies in the Global Fight Against 
Sex Trafficking" Conference in Washington D.C. 
 
In 2002, the Dubai Police Human Rights Department 
Director developed a Crime Victims' Assistance 
Program, which includes the creation of Victim 
Assistance Coordinators and police training in victim 
protection and assistance.  In March 2003, Victim 
Assistance Coordinators were assigned to police 
stations.  Victim Assistance Coordinators' 
responsibilities include advising victims about the 
criminal justice system and criminal procedure; 
encouraging witness testimony, especially in cases 
involving sexual abuse and trafficking in persons 
where victims are reluctant to speak out; advising 
victims of their rights; providing counseling and 
medical care; placing victims in safehouses or 
shelters; and following-up with victims as the case 
proceeds to trial.  In March 2003, the Dubai Police 
Human Rights Department began conducting Victim 
Protection and Assistance training courses for Dubai 
police officers. 
The Dubai Tourist Security Department operates a 24- 
hour toll-free hotline telephone number to assist 
visitors with inquiries or problems.  The Department 
publishes information on the hotline and precautionary 
measures for visitors in a brochure that is 
distributed at ports of entry and other locations. 
 
The Women's Da'waa Administration in the Dubai 
Department of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs also operates 
a hotline geared for women and children.  Operating 
since July 2002, the hotline is open to all 
nationalities living in all emirates.  The hotline is 
open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday to 
Wednesday, but will take emergency calls on Thursday 
and Friday (the UAE weekend). 
 
-- C.  Are there or have there been anti-trafficking 
information or education campaigns?  If yes, briefly 
describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness. 
 
The Ministry of Information and Culture helped 
increase public awareness with an extensive 
information campaign about trafficking in boys for use 
as camel jockeys in conjunction with the announcement 
of the child camel jockey ban in July 2002 and for 
several months thereafter. 
 
The local press highlights cases of child jockeys 
rescued by local authorities and non-governmental 
organizations.  The local press also reports on cases 
of forced prostitution.  Some local newspapers include 
regular columns with advice on worker rights. 
 
-- D.  Does the government support other programs to 
prevent trafficking?  (E.g., to promote women's 
participation in economic decision making or efforts 
to keep children in school.)  Please explain. 
 
In addition to government ministries and departments, 
charitable and other organizations funded by the 
Government and individual ruling family members are 
also involved in programs that help to prevent 
trafficking.  The Government maintained its efforts to 
address humanitarian needs and concerns in the UAE and 
worldwide through government-funded charitable 
organizations. 
 
In the UAE, the primarily government-funded UAE Red 
Crescent Authority, an affiliate of the 
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Societies, among other activities, 
provided assistance to widows, divorced women, 
prisoners' wives, orphans, prisoners and students 
from poor families.  Projects funded by the Red 
Crescent Authority include maintaining schools and 
mosques, digging wells, building health units, and 
training for people with special needs. 
 
Outside the UAE, the UAE Red Crescent Authority and 
other charitable organizations funded by individual 
ruling family members, such as the Zayed Foundation 
and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Humanitarian 
and Charity Establishment, conducted humanitarian 
relief projects and provided reconstruction and other 
types of assistance to a number of countries 
worldwide, including countries in the Middle East, 
Eastern Europe, CIS, Russia, and Africa.  UAE 
President and Abu Dhabi Emirate Ruler Shaykh Zayed Bin 
Sultan Al-Nahyan funds the Zayed Foundation.  Shaykh 
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is the Crown Prince of 
Dubai Emirate and UAE Minister of Defense. 
Many of the countries that receive aid from UAE 
charitable organizations are source countries or are 
at risk of becoming source countries for trafficking 
in persons because of poor socio-economic conditions. 
These charitable projects are anti-trafficking in 
nature because they help to support people and 
communities vulnerable to trafficking.  These 
organizations fund a multitude of projects, including 
providing food, clothing, construction equipment, 
telecommunications equipment, heavy machinery, 
electrical generators, transportation equipment, 
vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies, and medicines; 
paying government employees' and teachers' salaries; 
providing financial aid to support orphans; conducting 
demining projects; building roads, refugee camps, 
homes, hospitals, schools and orphanages; operating 
refugee camps and orphanages; and digging wells. 
 
The UAE Red Crescent Authority conducts outreach 
programs for displaced persons, focusing on women and 
children.  In 2002, the Authority also sponsored 4,645 
orphans in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, 
Jordan, Bosnia, Ghana, Indonesia, Albania, Kazakhstan, 
Thailand, Mongolia and Ethiopia, at a cost of about 
19.6 million dirhams (more than $5.4 million). 
 
Countries or areas receiving assistance from UAE 
organizations include Pakistan, Afghanistan, 
Palestine, Chechnya, Sudan, Benin, Bangladesh, 
Eritrea, Sudan, Kosovo, Yemen, Philippines, Niger, 
Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, 
Jordan, Bosnia, Ghana, Indonesia, Albania, Thailand, 
Mongolia, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Algeria, Ghana, Albania, 
Macedonia, and Iran. 
 
The UAEG cooperates with the office of the UN High 
Commissioners for Refugees (UNHCR) and other 
humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees.  In 
2000, UAE First Lady Shaykha Fatima bint Mubarak 
established a Fund for Refugee Women to help refugee 
women worldwide, which is managed by the UAE Red 
Crescent Society in cooperation with UNHCR. 
 
The UAEG also cooperates with Medecins Sans Frontieres 
(Doctors Without Borders), which maintains offices in 
the UAE. 
 
-- E.  Is the government able to support prevention 
programs? 
 
The government is able to and does support prevention 
programs both in the UAE and in other countries.  See 
answers to 4.C and 4.D above. 
 
-- F.  What is the relationship between government 
officials, NGOs, other relevant organizations and 
other elements of civil society on the trafficking 
issue? 
 
The UAEG works with foreign embassies and source 
country NGOs to provide shelter and assistance to 
victims and facilitate their repatriation. 
 
The Ministry of Labor works with ILO on various labor 
issues.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently 
considering UAE membership in the inter-governmental 
International Organization for Migration (IOM). 
 
-- G.  Does the government adequately monitor its 
borders?  Does it monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law 
enforcement agencies respond appropriately to such 
evidence? 
 
Reports indicate that the UAEG adequately monitors 
its borders against illegal migration and smuggling. 
The Armed Forces are responsible for guarding and 
monitoring the UAE's coast and land borders.  The 
border guards also have the legal authority to stop 
and inspect individuals at the border or point of 
entry, especially if the there is suspicion of 
illegal activity.  In January 2002, the UAE began 
erecting a 3-meter fence barrier along its land 
border with Oman in an effort to curb smugglers and 
illegal immigration. 
 
The federal and emirate-level immigration authorities 
are responsible for controlling the influx of people 
at the country's international airports.  In August 
2002, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service 
conducted fraud intercept training at Dubai 
International Airport to help immigration authorities 
there better combat document fraud at that point of 
entry into the UAE. 
 
The authorities have recognized that illegal 
immigration and the violation of residency laws, 
whether involving women and children or not, is a 
problem in the UAE.  To that end, the Ministry of 
Interior's Department if Naturalization and Residency 
announced in 2000 the establishment of a central 
operations room, including an integrated federal data 
center to track the arrival and departure of 
individuals in the Federation's seven emirates.  The 
UAEG has also instituted the use of retinal scans to 
add biometrics identification information to its 
databases.  Biometrics information will help UAEG 
authorities better monitor migration and combat 
document fraud by visitors and illegal immigrants, 
for example, the use of false names and birthdays in 
passports and other identification papers. 
 
In an effort to crack down on border infiltrators and 
immigration violators, in January 2003 the UAEG began 
a four-month amnesty program.  The amnesty program, 
from January through April 2003, allows persons who 
have overstayed their visas or who entered the 
country without visas to leave the country without 
penalty of prosecution for immigration violations. 
 
So that the UAEG can better monitor immigration 
patterns, the UAEG is updating its immigration 
databases with information received from a 
questionnaire to be completed by all amnesty-seekers. 
The questionnaire includes questions on how the 
amnesty applicants arrived in the country, who 
assisted them in coming and staying here, what they 
have been doing and whether they have been working 
while here, etc.  Immigration officials indicate that 
questionnaires containing information that suggests 
criminal activity, including trafficking in persons, 
are referred to law enforcement authorities for 
investigation. 
 
Labor Ministry officials indicate that they will use 
statistical information received from the general 
amnesty program to identify practices and trends that 
violate the labor law or abuse workers so that they 
can better manage the labor market and protect worker 
rights. 
 
Although the amnesty program is not designed 
specifically to determine the extent or the magnitude 
of the trafficking in persons to the UAE, UAEG 
officials state that statistical analyses based on 
amnesty program information will provide them with a 
foundation to actively and effectively monitor 
trafficking in persons and estimate the magnitude of 
the problem. 
 
-- H.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and 
communication between various agencies, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force?  Does the 
government have an anti-trafficking in persons task 
force?  Does the government have a public corruption 
task force? 
 
In 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led and 
directed inter-ministry coordination and 
communication on trafficking in persons issues.  In 
February 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
announced the creation of a UAE trafficking in 
persons task force. 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials state that the 
Government is currently considering the best method 
to institutionalize follow-up on monitoring and 
combating trafficking in persons.  One option under 
consideration includes an office to coordinate and 
follow-up on ministries' actions. 
 
-- I.  Does the government coordinate with or 
participate in multinational or international working 
groups or efforts to prevent, monitor, or control 
trafficking? 
 
In January 2003, Ministry of Interior officials 
indicated that they continue to work on developing 
channels with other governments to exchange 
information on organized crime, including trafficking 
in persons. 
 
UAEG authorities reportedly cooperated with 
authorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh to prevent and 
control trafficking in boys to the UAE by stemming 
the seizure and/or recruitment of these children at 
the source.  Law enforcement officials also reported 
that they cooperate and work in coordination with 
foreign NGOs and foreign governments on trafficking 
in women cases. 
 
Immigration authorities also work with foreign 
embassies and consulates in the repatriation of 
trafficking victims. 
 
-- J.  Does the government have a national plan of 
action to address trafficking in persons?  If so, 
which agencies were involved in developing it?  Were 
NGOs consulted in the process?  What steps has the 
government taken to disseminate the action plan? 
 
In 2002, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led and 
directed inter-ministry coordination and 
communication on trafficking in persons issues.  The 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working in coordination 
with other ministries and departments, created the 
plan of action for the child camel jockey ban and 
other measures related thereto. 
 
In February 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
announced the creation of a UAE trafficking in 
persons task force.  The task force reportedly will 
be responsible for creating a formal national plan of 
action regarding trafficking in persons for inter- 
ministry action and follow-up. 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials state that the 
Government is currently considering the best method 
to institutionalize follow-up on monitoring and 
combating trafficking in persons.  One option under 
consideration includes an office to coordinate and 
follow-up on ministries' actions. 
 
-- K.  Is there some entity or person responsible for 
developing anti-trafficking programs within the 
government? 
 
See answer to 4.J. above. 
 
¶5.  Investigation and prosecution of traffickers: 
 
(For questions a-c, posts should highlight in 
particular whether or not the country has enacted any 
new legislation since the last tip report.) 
 
-- A.  Does the country have a law specifically 
prohibiting trafficking in persons?  If so, what is 
the law?  If not, under what other laws can 
traffickers be prosecuted?  For example, are there 
laws against slavery or the exploitation of 
prostitution by means of coercion or fraud?  Are these 
other laws being used in trafficking cases?  Are these 
laws, taken together, adequate to cover the full scope 
of trafficking in persons? 
 
UAE Penal Law Art. 346 prohibits trafficking in 
persons:  "Whoever brings into or out of the country 
any person intending to possess or dispose of and 
whoever possesses or purchases or sells or offers for 
sale or transacts in any manner of any person as a 
slave shall be punished with provisional 
imprisonment."  Provisional imprisonment is a sentence 
of 3 years minimum and 15 years maximum. 
 
Justice Ministry officials indicate that traffickers 
can also be prosecuted under penal laws, including 
laws prohibiting kidnapping; rape; sodomy; sexual 
abuse; sexual exploitation; immoral acts; exploitation 
of someone for immoral acts; physical abuse; false 
imprisonment; juvenile endangerment; forced labor; 
child labor; forced prostitution; indecency; 
enticement, inducement or deceiving someone to commit 
immoral acts or prostitution; aiding or facilitating 
the commission of immoral acts or prostitution; 
keeping or operating a place for immoral acts or 
prostitution; and money laundering. 
 
Ministry of Labor officials also report that the UAE 
Labor Law contains penalties for labor law violations. 
UAE Labor Law Art. 181 provides for a fine from 3,000 
dirhams (about $820) to 10,000 dirhams (about $2700) 
and/or imprisonment up to six months per labor law 
violation or for obstructing, preventing or 
threatening labor inspectors. 
 
UAE law appears to adequately cover the full scope of 
trafficking in persons.  Ministry of Justice 
officials report that they are currently reviewing 
U.S. trafficking in persons legislation and 
evaluating current UAE laws to determine whether 
there are gaps in existing legislation.  If so, 
Justice Ministry officials state that they will then 
determine whether supplemental legislation will be 
adequate or comprehensive trafficking in persons 
legislation will be necessary. 
 
-- B.  What is the penalty for traffickers? 
 
UAE Penal Law Art. 346 provides for imprisonment from 
3 years minimum to 15 years maximum. 
 
-- C.  What are the penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault?  How do they compare to the penalty 
for trafficking? 
 
The sentencing range for rape is 15 years plus 
lashings to capital punishment.  The penalty for rape 
that leads to the death of the victim or for rape 
with extenuating circumstances is capital punishment. 
 
-- D.  Has the government prosecuted any cases against 
traffickers?  If yes, provide numbers of arrests, 
indictments, plea bargains, fines, and convictions. 
What were the penalties actually imposed in each case? 
Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced?  If 
no, why not?  Please indicate whether the government 
can provide this information, and if not, why not? 
 
Law enforcement officials claim that cases have been 
prosecuted under the penal laws prohibiting 
trafficking and related crimes.  UAEG officials are 
attempting to compile statistics on arrests, 
prosecutions, and convictions.  We will forward this 
information immediately when it is received. 
 
-- E.  Is there any information or reports of who is 
behind the trafficking?  For example, are the 
traffickers freelance operators, small crime groups, 
and/or large international organized crime syndicates? 
Are employment, travel, and tourism agencies or 
marriage brokers fronting for traffickers or crime 
groups to traffic individuals?  Are government 
officials involved?  Are there any reports of where 
profits from trafficking in persons are being 
channeled?  (E.g. armed groups, terrorist 
organizations, judges, banks, etc.) 
 
IOM and NGO reports indicate that organized crime 
groups are behind most if not all trafficking cases to 
the UAE, with the typical size of the organized crime 
group varying according to the source country. 
 
-- F.  Does the government actively investigate cases 
of trafficking?  (Again, the focus should be on 
trafficking cases versus migrant smuggling cases.) 
Does the government use active investigative 
techniques in trafficking in persons investigations? 
To the extent possible under domestic law, are 
techniques such as electronic surveillance, undercover 
operations, and mitigated punishment or immunity for 
cooperating suspects used by the government?  Does the 
criminal procedure code or other laws prohibit the 
police from engaging in covert operations? 
 
Law enforcement officials report that they actively 
investigate cases of trafficking in persons. 
Investigation is most easily accomplished in cases 
brought to their attention by complaint from the 
victim or other interested party.  Police officials 
state that trafficking in persons investigations are 
challenging when trafficking is suspected but the 
victim refuses to provide information, likely out of 
fear or distress. 
 
Police officials also report that active investigative 
techniques are used in criminal investigations, 
including trafficking in persons cases, and that 
electronic surveillance and undercover operations are 
permitted and used.  Police officials recommend 
sentence mitigation for cooperating suspects and are 
not prohibited from engaging in covert operations. 
 
-- G.  Does the government provide any specialized 
training for government officials in how to recognize, 
investigate, and prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
On several occasions over the past year, the senior 
leadership requested information on training 
opportunities that specifically address combating 
trafficking in persons, to help law enforcement, 
prosecutors and judges better identify, investigate 
and prosecute cases of trafficking in persons.  After 
receiving information on USG training classes in 
February, Post presented the information to the 
Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 
which forwarded the information to the Ministry of 
Interior and Ministry of Justice for review. 
 
Ministry of Justice officials report that the 
Ministry's Institute of Judicial Training and Studies 
conducts mandatory classes for prosecutors and judges 
on proper victim care and assistance.  The Institute 
also conducts mandatory specialized classes (with 
course duration in parentheses) on the following 
topics: human rights (14 hours); sexual offenses (20 
hours); offenses against life (20 hours); immigration 
offenses (20 hours); juvenile protection and 
delinquency (30 hours); labor violations and offenses 
(12 hours). 
 
In April 2003, the Dubai Police Department will host 
an FBI Organized Crime Undercover Operations training 
program at the Middle East Law Enforcement Training 
Center.  Law enforcement officers representing all 
local police departments are expected to attend. 
This specialized training will help to combat 
trafficking in persons to the UAE since organized 
crime groups reportedly commit most if not all 
trafficking offenses. 
 
-- H.  Does the government cooperate with other 
governments in the investigation and prosecution of 
trafficking cases?  If possible, can post provide the 
number of cooperative international investigations on 
trafficking? 
 
UAEG officials state that they cooperate with 
authorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh to prevent and 
control trafficking in boys to the UAE by stemming 
the seizure and/or recruitment of these children at 
the source.  Law enforcement officials report that 
they also cooperate and work in coordination with 
foreign NGOs and foreign governments on trafficking 
in women issues when cases are brought to their 
attention. 
 
Immigration authorities work with foreign embassies 
and consulates and foreign NGOs in repatriation 
cases. 
 
In January 2003, Ministry of Interior officials 
indicated that they continue to work on developing 
channels with foreign governments to exchange 
information on organized crime, including trafficking 
in persons. 
 
-- I.  Does the government extradite persons who are 
charged with trafficking in other countries?  If so, 
can post provide the number of traffickers extradited? 
Does the government extradite its own nationals 
charged with such offenses?  If not, is the government 
prohibited by law from extraditing its own nationals? 
If so, what is the government doing to modify its laws 
to permit the extradition of nationals? 
 
The UAEG currently has extradition treaties with a 
number of countries, including India, Sri Lanka, 
Armenia, Canada (for drugs and money-laundering 
charges), China, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria, 
Morocco, Syria, Somalia, Jordan and Egypt.  Between 
1997-2001, 253 suspected criminals were extradited 
from the UAE and 96 suspected criminals were 
extradited to the UAE.  In some cases, extradition was 
performed to and from countries with which the UAEG 
does not currently have an extradition treaty. 
 
In June 2002, UAEG authorities announced that the UAEG 
was discussing extradition treaties with Pakistan, 
Russia, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa and 
Yemen.  In December 2002, the UAEG presented a 
proposed draft extradition treaty to the USG for 
consideration.  In March 2003, UAE-Azerbaijan treaty 
negotiations were announced. 
 
The UAEG also has mutual legal assistance treaties in 
criminal matters with a number of countries.  In June 
2002, UAEG authorities stated that the UAEG had 
delivered 235 files of criminal case documents to 
other countries and had received 145 files of criminal 
case documents from other countries.  In some cases, 
mutual legal assistance was exchanged with countries 
with which the UAEG does not currently have a mutual 
legal assistance treaty.  The USG and UAEG have 
exchanged mutual legal assistance treaty documents and 
will likely commence treaty negotiations this year. 
 
To our knowledge, the UAEG has not requested 
extradition or granted extradition in a case of 
trafficking in persons.  Based on the UAEG's record on 
extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal 
matters, it is expected that the UAEG would request or 
grant extradition and mutual legal assistance in 
trafficking in persons cases. 
 
UAEG extradition of a UAE citizen to another country 
is unlikely absent extenuating circumstances.  For 
example, there is reportedly a clause in the UAE-India 
extradition treaty, included at the UAEG's request, 
wherein both nations agreed not to extradite their own 
nationals to the other. 
 
-- J.  Is there evidence of government involvement in 
or tolerance of trafficking, on a local or 
institutional level?  If yes, please explain in 
detail. 
 
There is no evidence of government involvement or 
tolerance of trafficking, whether on a local or 
institutional level. 
 
-- K.  If government officials are involved in 
trafficking, what steps has the government taken to 
end such participation?  Have any government officials 
been prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or 
trafficking-related corruption?  Have any been 
convicted?  What actual sentence was imposed?  Please 
provide specific numbers, when available. 
There have been no cases reported of government 
officials involved in trafficking.  Based on previous 
cases of investigation and prosecution of government 
officials for criminal offenses, it is expected that 
the UAEG would investigate and prosecute government 
officials suspected of trafficking or trafficking- 
related corruption. 
 
-- L.  Has the government signed and ratified the 
following international instruments?  Please provide 
the date of signature/ratification if appropriate. 
 
¶A.  ILO Convention 182 Concerning the Prohibition and 
Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst 
Forms of Child Labor? 
 
The UAEG ratified ILO Convention 182 Concerning Worst 
Forms of Child Labor on 28 June 2001. 
 
¶B.  ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on Forced or Compulsory 
Labor 
 
The UAEG ratified ILO Convention 29 Concerning Forced 
Labor on 27 May 1982. 
 
The UAEG ratified ILO Convention 105 Concerning 
Abolition of Forced Labor on 24 February 1997. 
 
¶C.  Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights 
of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child 
Prostitution, and Child Pornography? 
 
The UAEG ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of 
the Child on 3 January 1997, but has not ratified its 
supplemental Option Protocol on the Sale of Children, 
Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography. 
 
¶D.  The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, 
Supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational 
Organized Crime? 
 
The UAE acceded to the UN Convention Against 
Transnational Organized Crime in December 2002. 
Justice Ministry officials report that the UAE has 
reviewed and will likely sign the following 
supplemental protocols in the near future:  (1) the 
Supplemental Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and 
Children; and (2) the Supplemental Protocol Against 
the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, See and Air. 
 
¶E.  Other 
 
The UAEG has also ratified or acceded to the following 
international instruments that help directly or 
indirectly guard against trafficking in persons. 
(Note: Date of ratification or accession in 
parentheses. End note.) 
 
--UN International Convention on the Elimination of 
All Forms of Racial Discrimination (acceded 20 June 
1974). 
 
--Convention Against Slavery (ratification date 
unknown). 
 
--ILO Convention 1 Concerning Hours of Work for 
Industry (ratified 27 May 1982). 
--ILO Convention 81 Concerning Labor Inspection 
(ratified 27 May 1982). 
--ILO Revised Convention 89 Concerning Night Work for 
Women (ratified 27 May 1982). 
 
--ILO Convention 100 Concerning Equal Remuneration 
(ratified 24 February 1997). 
 
--ILO Convention 111 Concerning Discrimination in 
Employment and Occupation (ratified 28 June 2001). 
 
--ILO Convention 138 Concerning Minimum Age for 
Employment (ratified 2 October 1998). 
 
¶6.  Protection and Assistance to Victims: 
 
-- A.  Does the government assist victims, for 
example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, relief from deportation, shelter and access to 
legal, medical and psychological services?  If yes, 
please explain.  Does the country have victim care and 
victim health care facilities?  If so, can post 
provide the number of victims placed in these care 
facilities? 
 
The Government provides assistance and protection to 
victims, including victims of trafficking in persons. 
Counseling services are available in public hospitals. 
Authorities have worked with embassies and NGOs to 
provide shelter facilities.  Victims may also seek 
shelter in their embassies.  Police Departments also 
reportedly provide shelter facilities for victims 
separate and apart from jail facilities.  Those 
sheltered in police facilities receive free medical 
care. 
 
UAE Code of Criminal Procedures Arts. 14 and 22 
provide for legal assistance for victims. 
 
The following victim protection and assistance 
services in Dubai Emirate are particularly notable 
because almost all women traveling to the UAE for 
purposes of prostitution, whether forced or otherwise, 
reportedly travel to Dubai. 
 
Each Dubai police station is staffed with a human 
rights officer and a social worker/counselor from 
Dubai Police's Human Rights Department.  These 
officers and social workers/counselors are available 
to assist complainants and victims. 
 
In 2002, the Dubai Police Human Rights Department 
developed a Crime Victims' Assistance Program, which 
includes the creation of Victim Assistance 
Coordinators and police training in victim protection 
and assistance.  In March 2003, Victim Assistance 
Coordinators were assigned to police stations.  Victim 
Assistance Coordinators' responsibilities include 
advising victims about the criminal justice system and 
criminal procedure; encouraging witness testimony, 
especially in cases like sexual abuse and trafficking 
in persons where victims are reluctant to speak out; 
advising victims of their rights; providing counseling 
and medical care; placement in a safehouse or shelter; 
and follow-up with victims as the case proceeds to 
trial. 
 
The Dubai Tourist Security Department operates a 24- 
hour toll-free hotline telephone number to assist 
visitors with inquiries or problems.  The Department 
publishes information on the hotline and precautionary 
measures for visitors in a brochure that is 
distributed at ports of entry and other locations. 
 
The Women's Da'waa Administration in the Dubai 
Department of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs also operates 
a hotline especially geared for women and children. 
Operating since July 2002, the hotline is open to all 
nationalities living in all emirates.  The hotline is 
open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday to 
Wednesday, but will take emergency calls on Thursday 
and Friday (the UAE weekend). 
 
-- B.  Does the government provide funding or other 
forms of support to foreign or domestic NGOs for 
services to victims?  Please explain. 
 
The Government works with foreign NGOs to provide 
assistance to trafficking victims.  We are unaware of 
whether the Government provides direct financial 
assistance to these NGOs. 
 
-- C.  Are the rights of victims respected, or are 
they also treated as criminals?  Are victims detained, 
jailed, or deported?  If detained or jailed, for how 
long?  Are victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for 
violations of other laws, such as those governing 
immigration or prostitution? 
 
Rights of victims are generally respected. 
Individuals identified as victims are not detained, 
jailed or deported.  Individuals identified as 
victims are also not prosecuted for violations of 
other laws, such as those governing immigration or 
prostitution, if commission of such offenses is 
determined to have occurred beyond their control, 
which would be the case for most trafficking victims. 
For example, law enforcement officials state that 
they would not prosecute a victim of forced 
prostitution for prostitution.  And, immigration 
officials indicate that victims would not be 
prosecuted for immigration violations if, for 
example, they overstayed in the country illegally 
because a trafficker had seized their passports. 
 
-- D.  Does the government encourage victims to assist 
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking? 
May victims file civil suits or seek legal action 
against the traffickers?  Does anyone impede the 
victims' access to such legal redress?  If a victim is 
a material witness in a court case against the former 
employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other 
employment or to leave the country?  Is there a victim 
restitution program? 
 
Law enforcement officials report that they advise 
victims of their rights and encourage witness 
testimony, especially in cases like sexual abuse and 
trafficking in persons where victims are reluctant to 
speak out. 
 
Before or during a criminal trial, a victim may claim 
financial compensation or "diya", which is granted as 
part of defendant's sentence.  Victims may also file 
civil suits for damages. 
 
Foreign diplomats indicate that victims have been 
permitted to give sworn testimony and leave the 
country before judgment was rendered. 
 
-- E.  What kind of protections is the government able 
to provide for victims and witnesses?  Does it provide 
these protections in practice? 
 
The government is able to provide protections for 
victims and witnesses. 
 
UAE Code of Criminal Procedures Arts. 14 and 22 
provide for legal assistance for victims. 
 
Authorities have worked with embassies and NGOs to 
provide shelter facilities.  Victims may also seek 
shelter from their embassies.  Police Departments 
also reportedly provide shelter facilities for 
victims separate and apart from jail facilities. 
 
-- F.  Does the government provide any specialized 
training for government officials in recognizing 
trafficking and in the provision of assistance to 
trafficked victims, including the special needs of 
trafficked children?  Does the government provide 
training on protections and assistance to its 
embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are 
destination or transit countries?  Does it urge those 
embassies and consulates to develop ongoing 
relationships with NGOs that serve trafficked victims? 
 
The UAEG senior leadership has repeatedly requested 
information on training opportunities that 
specifically address combating trafficking in 
persons, to help law enforcement officials, 
prosecutors and judges better identify, investigate 
and prosecute trafficking in persons cases.  After 
receiving information on USG training opportunities 
in February 2003, Post presented the information to 
the Office of the Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs, which forwarded the information to the 
Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Justice for 
consideration. 
 
Ministry of Justice officials report that the 
Ministry's Institute of Judicial Training and Studies 
conducts mandatory classes for prosecutors and judges 
on proper victim care and assistance.  The Institute 
also conducts mandatory specialized classes (with 
course duration in parentheses) on the following 
topics:  human rights (14 hours); sexual offenses (20 
hours); offenses against life (20 hours); immigration 
offenses (20 hours); juvenile protection and 
delinquency (30 hours); labor violations and offenses 
(12 hours). 
 
In March 2003, the Dubai Police Human Rights 
Department began conducting Victim Protection and 
Assistance training courses for Dubai police officers 
as part of the new Dubai Police Department's Victims' 
Assistance Program. 
 
-- G.  Does the government provide assistance, such as 
medical aid, shelter, or financial help, to its 
repatriated nationals who are victims of trafficking? 
 
We are not aware of any instances in which UAE 
nationals were trafficked.  Considering the UAEG's 
record of numerous services provided to citizens at 
little to no cost, it is expected that the UAEG would 
provide generous assistance to repatriated UAE 
nationals who are victims of trafficking. 
 
-- H.  Which NGOs, if any, work with trafficking 
victims?  What type of services do they provide?  What 
sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities? 
 
The Government cooperates and coordinates with NGOs 
in providing assistance to trafficking victims.  For 
example, Abu Dhabi police officials have worked with 
the Pakistan-based Ansar Burney Foundation, a non- 
governmental organization dedicated to improving 
human rights in South Asia, in providing shelter to 
and assisting in the repatriation of rescued children 
brought to the UAE to work as camel jockeys. 
 
WAHBA