Human Trafficking in
MENA/Region
• Mixed Migration in North Africa
• Human Trafficking/Regional
Overview
Migration in MENA countries:
origin, transit & destination
Migration Routes
• Transit
– Inter-regional migration from other African
countries to North Africa and Yemen to Europe,
GCC countries and Israel
• Destination
– From South & South East Asia to MENA Region
– Intra-regional Migration
• Origin
– Internal displacement of populations
Factors Affecting Migration in
MENA Region
• Geography: Gateway to Europe & Israel
• Socio-economic trends:
– Labour migration to GCC countries (interregional)
– Domestic Workers from South and South East
Asia
– West African Migrants going to North Africa
• Conflict & Political unrest
– Migrants from the Horn of Africa
– Internal conflict (Arab Spring, Syria crisis)
Forms of Human Trafficking in MENA
Region
• Exploitation & extortion of smuggled migrants
• Exploitation of Forced Labour
• Forced begging & servitude
• Exploitation of domestic workers
• Transactional marriages
Signatories to the Palermo Protocol
As of November, 2012:
Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco,
Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar,
Iraq, Jordan, and United Arab Emirates
(U.A.E.)
The Arab Strategy
• The Comprehensive Arab Strategy for
Combating Trafficking in Human
Beings (CASCTHB) Adopted by the
Council of Arab Ministers of Justice
Resolution 15/2/2012
Strategy Focus
1) Criminalizing all Types and Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings
2) Ensuring Effective Investigation, Indictment and Trial in Trafficking in
Human Beings Crimes
3) Strengthening Prevention Measures and Procedures
4) Victim Protection
5) Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation in Combating
Trafficking in Human Beings
6) Strengthening National Institutional Capacities for Combating
Trafficking in Human Beings
7) Updating the Arab Model Law and Ensuring its Dissemination and
Application
8) Ensuring the Coordination of Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Human
Beings in the Arab Region
National Legislation
In compliance with the legislative mandate of the
Palermo Protocol, thirteen Arab countries have
adopted comprehensive antitrafficking laws:
• Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the
United Arab Emirates.
•The remaining nine states members of the League of
Arab States have either adopted anti-trafficking
provisions in their penal codes or are in the process of
drafting a law. IOM is supporting the Yemeni Gov’ts to
finalize TIP laws.
Challenges in Combating Human Trafficking
• MENA Region is a Target by organized gangs.
• Differences in the interpretations of the crime of
human trafficking.
• Inadequate legislative framework.
• Different national legal systems in the criminal
field.
• Weak regional and international cooperation.
• Ensuring a gender sensitive approach
• Weak data and research in region