GCC Secretary-General stresses need for concerted international efforts to address trafficking in persons

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi stressed the need for concerted national and regional efforts to enhance international efforts to benefit from best practices to eliminate human trafficking, considering human trafficking a scourge that threatens humanity.

During his participation in a conference on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is annually observed on July 30, and is themed this year as 'Leave No Child Behind,' Albudaiwi highlighted the vulnerability of this group of societies, which requires taking rapid international measures to end trafficking in them. He noted that children still suffer from exploitation in several areas, especially forced labor, crime, and begging, and through modern means of communication.

He emphasized that the GCC countries have paid great attention to the issues of combating trafficking in persons, and this stems from their commitment to the provisions of Islamic Sharia, its laws, and procedures, which preserve human dignity and prohibit and criminalize all forms of insulting their dignity, depriving them of their freedom, and exploiting them.

He indicated that this is affirmed in Article 3 of the GCC Declaration of Human Rights, which states, "slavery, servitude, forced labor, and human trafficking in all its forms and manifestations are prohibited, especially that which occurs against women and children."