DOHA: Guidelines to prevent abusive recruitment, exploitation and trafficking of migrant workers were discussed by experts yesterday at the 13th Crime Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Doha.
They called upon governments to play an active role in preventing any form of exploitation against migrant workers during a workshop on ‘Prevention of labour trafficking and exploitation of migrant workers.’
“Exploitation of migrant workers is not preventive when there is lack of control and action. The prime obligation of prevention is on the states. They have the power to control the situations,” said Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking.
The discussion also highlighted on the importance of raising awareness among the workers about their rights.
The guidelines prepared by the ADSTRINGO ‘Addressing Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation through Improved Partnerships, Enhanced Diagnostics and Intensified Organisational Approaches’ a transnational project that has been coordinated by the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control , affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI).
The four main sections of the guidelines are structured for the states, businesses, trade unions and civil society and multidisciplinary cooperation and coordination at international level.
It suggests that countries should take measures such as regulate labour providers like employment agencies, ensure that workers are not charged fees for recruitment, monitor and enforce standards of recruitment and employment in order to curb abuse and exploitations and promote transparency.
“If a worker has problems with the employer, there should be ability to change jobs,” said Liliana, an Independent Expert who did her presentation on ‘guidelines to prevent abusive recruitment, exploitation and trafficking of migrant workers in the Baltic Sea region.
However, she said that exploitation of migrant workers has common features in elsewhere in the world as well.
Also Anniina Jokinen, from the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI) presented findings of a study done about exploitation of migrant workers in Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania.
The Peninsula
Doha: Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah said yesterday that enhancing the rule of law will have an important impact on the challenges currently facing the international community.
He added that in addition to the rule of law, human rights and development should be the pillars for joint work between members of international community.
Al Attiyah said that those three factors were reflected in Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to reach a society enjoying strong development, social and economic justice and protection of human rights.
Foreign Minister noted that Qatar is participating in enhancing the rule of law regionally and internationally by promoting the peaceful resolution to political crises. He expressed his delight that the Doha Declaration, which was accredited yesterday, reflects the responsibility of Qatar towards sustainable development and the rule of law.
QNA
