DUBAI // Information on forced labour and human trafficking should be included in the visa process for those looking to work in the UAE, an expert says.
General facts of the country and its employment process could also be included, said Obeid bin Suroor, deputy director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai.
Mr bin Suroor said this would help people to recognise whether they had been duped by unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
“Just like the UAE requires residents to undergo a medical exam before they receive their residency, they should go through an awareness system informing them of everything they need to know about the country,” he said.
“What are its traditions, culture and religion? What is prohibited, what is not? What are their rights concerning working hours and holiday days?
“If they are mistreated, to what authorities do they go? They should also be told of the penalties and consequences of crimes such as stealing and killing.
“It would ease pressure on the police and the Ministry of Labour. Everybody is a winner – the employee, the employer, the government sectors – because everyone will be more informed.
“Awareness programmes should be integrated into the system but they are like fireworks – they have a presence and then disappear. There needs to be a more realistic approach.”
Mr bin Suroor was speaking on the second day of a Dubai conference on trafficking.
He said that residents should be given refresher courses every couple of years, and that collaboration between the Government and private sector was needed to make such a system work.
“We agree on material with a number of institutions, which will implement the system, after which a person receives a certificate guaranteeing that he knows the information,” he said.
Mr bin Suroor said human trafficking was a form of organised crime that should be cut off at the source. He stressed the need for international collaboration.
“Conferences are great to share experiences and good practice but should be turned into reality,” he said.
“Three years ago we established a team called International Officers, made up of agents from the UAE, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.
“This team meets once a month and studies and researches human trafficking, and we’ve uncovered more than 10 cases of smuggling and trafficking.”
Mr bin Suroor said his directorate had uncovered 914 fake documents so far this year, a decrease from 968 last year.
These figures, he said, showed the seriousness of the problem.
Ali bin Khatam, chief prosecutor at the Department of Naturalisation and Residence in Dubai, said most human trafficking cases that came before prosecutors involve domestic workers.
“We’ve seen a number of cases of absconding domestic workers that were then exploited and forced into prostitution, a form of human trafficking,” Mr bin Khatam said.
“Other cases included victims that were exploited by unlicensed mediation agencies from their countries of origin and forced into the sex industry once they arrive in the UAE.”
Anyone found to be exploiting a worker face a jail sentence and a minimum fine of Dh10,000.
“One of our cases were of three women who were licensed to work at a women’s salon, but upon investigation, their sponsor had forced them into working in a massage parlour,” said Mr bin Khatam. “The sponsor was fined Dh30,000.”
He said knowledge remained the first line of defence against forced labour and human trafficking.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
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Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
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6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
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3. Spread of infectious diseases
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Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
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2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
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If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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Fixtures:
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Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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Total funding: Self funded
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SPECS
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