UN Gift

January 13, 2009

The UAE government is committed to the global effort to combat human trafficking, and works closely with international and regional law enforcement officials to apprehend and punish violators of human trafficking laws.

In March 2007 the UAE made a significant multi-year commitment to the United Nations for the establishment of the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT). This forum unites multiple countries, UN agencies, intergovernmental entities and the NGO sector under a single banner and has fostered unprecedented international cooperation.

The Global Initiative is based on a simple principle: human trafficking is a crime of such magnitude and atrocity that it cannot be dealt with successfully by any government alone. In line with this vision, the UAE aims to mobilize state and non-state actors to eradicate human trafficking once and for all.

Within its borders, the UAE is deeply concerned about the victims of this crime and their physical and emotional well-being, and is establishing appropriate mechanisms to support and assist victims in need. The UAE is aggressively implementing an anti-trafficking plan that is designed to prevent the crime, enforce the law and provide necessary support to victims.

In May 2008, the UAE issued its first Annual Report on combating human trafficking, outlining the country's initiatives and results in greater depth.