New society launched to combat human trafficking, raise awareness

AMMAN — A newly launched local society seeks to bring to light the dangers of human trafficking and slavery in all its forms, and to facilitate solutions for these issues worldwide.

The Jordanian Combating Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking Association was officially launched on Monday at a ceremony attended by HRH Princess Basma.

In her address at the launch, the princess noted that the majority of human trafficking victims are the most vulnerable, like women and children, who are taken advantage of for reasons related to poor economic conditions, natural disasters, armed conflicts or the desire for a better life.

“Despite the great efforts around the world to combat human trafficking, the intensity and magnitude of this problem are increasing annually,” said Princess Basma, the International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) special envoy.

Modern-day human trafficking takes the shape of forced labour, mobilisation of children, forced marriage and trafficking in organs, she said, noting that human trafficking is currently one of the main violations of human rights.

Justice Minister Bassam Talhouni, who heads the National Anti-Human Trafficking Committee, said local laws and regulations reject all kinds of human trafficking, adding that Jordan has signed several related international agreements.

Talhouni noted that the several migration waves to the Kingdom constitute a “challenge” to its implementation of anti-human trafficking laws.

He said combating slavery is a national duty that can only be achieved through collaboration between the public and private sectors, in addition to the efforts of civil society organisations.

Senator Taghreed Hikmat, the association’s founder, said resolving the problem of human trafficking begins with acknowledging its existence, and then taking the appropriate and gradual measures to eliminate its growth.

Hikmat highlighted the need to create an annual report on human trafficking in the Kingdom and a code of ethics to deal with victims.

“In the US Department of State’s human trafficking report, Jordan ranked second for three years in a row for exerting remarkable efforts in combating human trafficking,” she noted.

Hikmat said obstacles facing combating modern day slavery lie in society’s reluctance to resolve the issue, in addition to the lack of funding and experience in dealing with the issue.

“Syrians in Jordan who work without permits are exposed to human trafficking, in addition to domestic helpers,” she said, urging the public not to punish human trafficking victims.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, IOM Chief of Mission to Jordan Davide Terzi told The Jordan Times that the situation of human trafficking in relation to refugees in the Kingdom is “getting worse” as they are becoming “more vulnerable”.

Terzi noted that Jordan might be a smuggling route for Syrian refugees who want to reach Egypt, and from there migrate to Europe on boats.

Last year, Jordan reported 17 human trafficking cases involving 54 males and 27 females, according to a report prepared by the National Anti-Trafficking Committee.

The number of victims of human trafficking worldwide reaches 21million annually.

Earlier this year, the Council of Ministers approved a decision to turn a Social Development Ministry building into a shelter for victims of human trafficking. The 2,000-square-metre ministry building is currently under rehabilitation for this purpose.

Jordan enacted an Anti-Human Trafficking law in March 2009.The Kingdom has also ratified the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and its supplemental Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.