Plans to Establish a Training Center in areas of Sheltering and Rehabilitation for Victims of Human Trafficking
ME NewsWire
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, November 27th 2013
The Ministry of Interior underscored its commitment to acquaint female officers with the Future Leaders Program and encourage them to enroll in the program, in a bid develop their competencies and upgrade the level of performance of police work.
These remarks were made on Tuesday by Major Dr. Omar Ibrahim Al Ali, from the Leadership Development and Creativity Center, speaking to the gathering at the 2nd Regional Conference of Women Police. In his address, Al Ali highlighted the role of the Center in developing female officers working at the Ministry of Interior. He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to empower women cadres in collaboration with the Emirates Women Police Association.
Developing Teams
Al Ali indicated that the Ministry of Interior has adopted a new approach based on scientific and systematic foundations to develop its human and financial resources, in a bid to keep abreast of the overall progress witnessed by the country in various areas. In alignment with the adopted strategies, the Leadership Development and Creativity Center was established. The center stands as an independent unit that functions as a specialized department to develop leadership and creativity; it comprises five main sections, established according to the most advanced international regulations and practices.
Major Al Ali indicated that the Future Leaders Program is designed to prepare and qualify executive leaders at the Ministry of Interior. This aims to achieve the ministry’s strategic objectives, notably, identifying employees with special leadership skills, developing skilled leaders, promoting a culture of performance and overcoming high-level challenges.
With respect to competency assessment and its importance to develop and improve work quality, Al Ali said: “The Competency Assessment Section at the Ministry of Interior has been established as per the latest international practices. It provides occupational psychological assessment for personnel for the purposes of training and development.
Human Trafficking
Mayssa Ghanem Al Mazroui, Head of Corporate Communications at the Ewa’a Shelters for Women and Children which provides shelter for women and children who are victims of human trafficking revealed that Ewa’a is contemplating a plan to establish training centers in the field of sheltering and rehabilitation for victims of human trafficking on the local, regional and international levels. She added: “According to international reports, the centers are operating according to high-level standards, and are consequently sought as a role model for many countries.”
In her work paper submitted on Tuesday as part of the 2nd Regional Conference of Women Police, Al Mazroui mentioned that Ewa’a has three shelters across the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras El Khaimah. The Abu Dhabi shelter can accommodate about 60 victims whereas the Sharjah and Ras El Khaimah shelters can accommodate up to 35 persons respectively. She added that the number of victims sheltered since 2009 accounts for approximately 200 persons, and that the average age of victims is 18-45 years in addition to children. “Victims coming to the centre stay from one to six months before they are repatriated; they are usually referred to us by the police, hospitals, the Red Crescent centers, and places of worship. Some come through our hotline as well,” she noted.
Al Mazroui reiterated the UAE’s commitment to combat human trafficking crimes through a comprehensive strategy established for this end, and by implementing the necessary procedures and policies that promote legal and ethical standards. The UAE was the first Arab country to issue the Federal Law No. 51 of 2006 to combat human trafficking crimes. Furthermore, the Ewa’a Shelters for Women and Children victims of human trafficking was established in 2008. “The shelters provide safe refuge to victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as rehabilitation and integration programs. The shelters are non-profitable establishments working under the auspices of the UAE Red Crescent,” Al Mazroui continued.
She added that the shelters have strategic objectives to provide human and financial resources to extend psychological, social, legal, medical, educational and professional help and assistance. These objectives also include organizing awareness programs and vocational courses; assisting victims to restore self-confidence and preparing them to face life again; adopting legal procedures to repatriate victims; and taking part in all issues related to human trafficking crimes.
Standards
Al Mazroui explained the standards for dealing with human trafficking victims. In terms of security and safety, the Ministry of Interior has an alert system linked to its Operations Center in anticipation of any potential unexpected risks. It had also installed high quality CCTV cameras in coordination with the police, maintained the secrecy of the shelters’ locations, handled victims’ cases with high confidentiality, kept victims’ belongings to be returned upon departure, investigating with victims at the shelters by police officers dressed in civilian clothes; and activating the hotline service to ensure a quicker access to victims.
Moreover, Al Mazroui pointed out that victims are sorted and classified to ensure that they are truly human trafficking victims and not a part of a human smuggling ring, illegal migrants, or even human traffickers who may put other victims and female employees to risk. Mayssa Al Mazroui noted that sorting and identifying victims begins by examining the circumstances of each case, according to assessment indicators and the six-stage victims’ sorting questionnaire approved by the shelters.
Commenting on the basic principles of caring, rehabilitating and integrating victims, she said: “Based on the relevant Human Rights principles and Palermo Protocol, the shelters seek to provide full support and protection for victims of this phenomenon.” She explained the procedures followed by the Ewa’a Shelters to received Women and Children victims of human trafficking. “Victims are registered upon arrival and introduced to the center and its facilities. In the shelters, victims are offered psychological, social, legal, medical care, as well as educational and vocational training, plus a ticket and a financial aid to return home.
Cindy Shain, the Associate Director of the Southern Police Institute of Louisville University in America explored the various methods to empower women police officers. She also presented some experiences to bolster women’s work within the police force in developed countries.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Shamesi, a researcher on human rights and rights of the disabled at the Department of Welfare and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities at the Ministry of Social Affairs gave a speech at the conference. He tackled the efforts exerted by the United Arab Emirates in providing care for people with disabilities in general, women with disabilities in particular. He pointed out that the state has ratified the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2010, as a complement to the countless achievements it has made for the benefit of this society segment.
He added that the Ministry of Social Affairs, in coordination with the concerned authorities, has been working closely with people with disabilities and their families to acquaint them with their rights, as set forth by the law enacted for this category. He also discussed the role of civil society institutions and shed light on how community members deal with people with disabilities.
Concluding, Dr. Emad Eddien Hussein, EFQM Licensed trainer and key adviser, gave an overview of the “Empowerment and Development of Women Police” according to the European Excellence Model.
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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
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