London, 17 March 2020 – More than 53 British parliamentarians from both Houses of Commons and Lords have signed a petition launched by the Scotland-based International United Nations Watch about human trafficking across Europe and the Middle East. The petition which came upon a report by the NGO which tracked human trafficking from East Europe to the United Arab Emirates. The report included witnesses and stories of many victims. It also highlighted on the process of human trafficking.
In early February, the International United Nations Watch urged UK Government and politicians to take immediate steps to fight human trafficking and pressure the Government of UAE in this respect. A petition was launched where it has received wide support in the UK Parliament. The petition called on the British government and the European Union to take action to end trafficking of women from Eastern Europe to the UAE.
The petition which was endorsed by more than 53 MPS, Lords and Baronesses reads, “We, the undersigned MPs and Lords, express our concern about the latest reports published by Human Rights organisation including a report by La Strada, University of Florence and the International UN Watch where it revealed human trafficking of girls between UAE and Europe is on the rise where Britain has been a transit station for smugglers.”
The petition further called on “HM Government to take immediate action to ensure that such dangerous phenomenon seized immediately.”
The Scotland-based organization noted that the UK government should demand that the UAE to take greater steps to end human trafficking in its territories. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was named a Tier Two country for human trafficking with Dubai being described as one of the top destinations for traffickers, and yet the UAE has exerted insufficient efforts to combat international human trafficking.
The petition urged UAE to take further steps in response to international human trafficking from and into its territory.
It also called on UK Government to pressure UAE to crack down on illegal activities in relation to human trafficking and provide immediate support to victims of human trafficking without resorting to deportation to third countries.
The politicians called on prosecuting groups and networks of human trafficking and work with other governments to resolve the crisis. It has also called on ensuring that any future trade agreements should ensure that UAE is respecting Human Rights and will seriously fight human trafficking.
The petition was launched by the NGO following a comprehensive report published early this year. The report highlighted on UAE’s history of human tracking with relation to East Europe and Moldova. The report provides a glimpse about the UAE trafficking patterns, trends and facts through available official data. More specifically in the first part the data discusses the consistency of the trafficked victims with regards to ethnicity, gender, age and purpose of trafficking.
Throughout the report the founder of the Mediterranean Migration Observatory, Martin Baldwin- Edwards UAE policies on trafficking, the international agreements between UAE and partner countries and looks into the prosecution levels on the basis of the policy provisions.
Professor Giovanna Campani, of the University of Florence has also contributed to the report. She discusses the phenomenon and normative conceptualization of human trafficking in Europe and contemporary policy approaches to migration and raises concerns on how the security regulatory basis of the latter is fuelling instead of combatting the phenomenon. At the final parts of her piece she discusses the cases of trafficking from Moldova to the UAE and from Nigeria to {primarily} Italy in comparative perspective. Lastly the conclusion will offer policy recommendation on the basis of the documentary as well as the pieces presented in this report.
House of Commons signatures included Alexander David Sobel MP, Mohammad Yasin MP, Wera Hobhouse MP, Munira Wilson MP, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Janet Daby MP, Jess Phillips MP, Philippa Whitford MP, Chi Onwurah MP, Chris Stephens MP, Rachel Hopkins MP, Alan Brown MP, Alan Whitehead MP, Ben Lake MP, Jamie Stone MP, Nadia Whittome MP, Preet Gill MP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Tommy Sheppard MP, Sarah Olney MP, Wendy Chamberlain MP, Kate Green MP, Debbie Abrahams MP, Holly Lynch MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Brendan O’Hara MP, Hilary Benn MP, Kate Osamor MP, Catherine West MP, Mary Goudie MP, Carolyn Harris MP, Layla Moran MP, Emma Hardy MP, Gavin NEWLANDS MP, Peter Grant MP, Carol Monaghan MP, Ruth Jones MP, Stephen Timms MP.
Meanwhile members of the House of Lords signed the petition including Baroness Harris of Richmond, Baroness Meacher, Lord Frank Judd, Lord Hylton, Baroness Jones, Baroness Brinton, Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill, Lord Berkeley, Lord Wood, Lord Kinnock, Lord Berkeley, Lord Wood, Lord Kinnock, Baroness Lister, Baroness Joyce, Lord Pendry.
