SW News: The UAE Cabinet has amended the law to combat human trafficking. The victims will receive new services, including assistance with their schooling and a safe return to their home nations. Incitement to commit a crime has been made a crime, and the penalties for offenders have been increased.

The UAE government's official website states that through a comprehensive action plan to combat it both domestically and overseas, the nation condemns, outlaws, and penalizes human trafficking.

“Today, we approved amendments to the law on combating human trafficking, including tightening sanctions, providing new services for victims including educational support, safe return to their home country, criminalizing incitement to commit, and increasing the penalties for perpetrators," said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

He chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court among others.

The plan includes preventing human trafficking, catching and punishing traffickers, safeguarding survivors, and fostering international cooperation.
For the protection and rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking, the UAE keeps a network of shelters spread out over the nation. Federal laws assist victims and eyewitnesses and increase public awareness of the crime. It mandates a minimum jail sentence of five years and a fine of Dh100,000.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, human trafficking most frequently starts in the home countries of victims, so the UAE has signed agreements with several countries to exchange best practices on the prevention of human trafficking and enhance assistance for victims of this crime.

The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, established by a Cabinet decision in 2007, includes 18 representatives from various federal and local institutions.