UAE | General

Fatima offers to build shelter for victims

: Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the UAE General Women's Union, has pledged to finance the construction of a shelter for victims of human trafficking.

  • WAM
  • Published: 00:34 December 1, 2008
  • Gulf News

Abu Dhabi : Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the UAE General Women's Union, has pledged to finance the construction of a shelter for victims of human trafficking.

Shaikha Fatima had earlier donated a plot to have the shelter built on it.

The setting up of shelters for human trafficking victims was instructed by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) to enhance the government's efforts in providing necessary care and support for women and child victims of human trafficking in the UAE.

Shaikh Hamdan issued a decision appointing a nine-member board of the shelter chaired by Sanaa Darwish Al Kitbi, RCA Chairman Adviser for Human Affairs.

Board members will include Sara Ebrahim Abdul Aziz Shuhail, Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Tunaiji, Dr Amal Mahmoud Abdul Aal, Aisha Nasser Saeed, Dr Mariam Butti Obaid Salem Al Mazroui, Lana Zaki Anwar Zaki Nusaiba, Ebrahim Abdul Razzaq Al Tamimi, and Suad Saleh Abdul Qader .

Sara Ebrahim Abdul Aziz Shuhail has been appointed Executive Director of the shelter. The board held its first meeting yesterday at the headquarters of the RCA.

Shaikh Hamdan said Shaikha Fatima's initiative supports the government's efforts and strategy to combat human trafficking and curb the suffering of victims.

"The UAE gives special attention to the conditions of women and children in areas of conflict and always adopts initiatives that preserve the human dignity of these social segments,'' Shaikh Hamdan said.

Shaikha Fatima's donation of the plot and construction of the shelter mirrors her keen interest in conserving human dignity and improving the living conditions of human trafficking victims.

The centre will provide a safe shelter, healthcare and social and psychological support for women and child victims.

It will also provide rehabilitation programmes to help women and children reintegrate into the mainstream of the society.

Legal assistance will also be provided by the centre to victims by supporting them during investigations and ensure their right of having legal representation, as well as the safe return to their home countries.

Law: National strategy

The UAE endorsed international conventions related to fighting human trafficking such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1997, and the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.

The country issued Federal Law No. 51 (2006) on combating human trafficking and established the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking. It also set an integral national strategy in this regard.

- WAM

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