Recently, a meeting in Riyadh was held. Many expresses attended this meeting and talked about Saudi Arabia‘s efforts to stop human trafficking. But the question is are all these efforts permanent or real? The name of the event was “Enhancing Cooperation in Combating Trafficking in Persons.” It brought many people together from various fields to discuss how to fight against these crimes. They also deeply discussed the current problems and ways to protect people from the crime of human trafficking.
According to Hala Al-Tuwaijri from the Saudi National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, their main purpose is to discuss current problems, give opinions, and work together to stop human trafficking. He said that they want to protect people from this crime. But it is crucial to ask that they make efforts to achieve their goals.
Al-Tuwaijri also noted that crises across different parts of the world make it easier for criminals to take advantage of innocent people. This is one of the complex issues because there are many types of human trafficking. It includes sex trafficking, forced labour, and domestic servitude, and it often affects women and children. Only talking about these complexities is not enough. The Saudi authorities need to take strict action against all of these crimes.
Human trafficking now become a major global problem. So, countries need to take effective action to protect people and uphold human rights. In Saudi Arabia, those convicted of human trafficking can face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to SR1 million (about $266,000). This highlights that the nation has strict penalties. However, the effectiveness and results of these punishments are questionable.
Al-Tuwaijri has pointed out that stronger international cooperation is needed to fight human trafficking, with better laws and case detection. In 2023, Saudi anti-human trafficking organizations held 41 training programs to help identify victims and improve practices. While this effort is notable, it’s worth questioning if Saudi Arabia’s overall approach to human trafficking is enough to address the scale of the issue effectively.
The vice minister of human resources and social development, Abdullah Abu Thunin, said that the nation is making considerable efforts to combat human trafficking. According to his report, the country is implementing a new national plan. The central focus of this plan is the 4 areas. It includes prevention, protection and assistance, prosecution, and cooperation on national, regional, and international levels. Also, this strategy includes many new programs. The main purpose of the plan is to address the root cause of human trafficking. The major reason explored then is that it is easy to find the exact solution to this crime.
However, it’s crucial to approach these claims with scepticism. While the government is talking about these efforts and launching new initiatives, there are legitimate concerns about how effective they will be in practice. The improvements in contracts might sound promising, but they may not tackle the deeper, systemic issues that allow human trafficking to persist. The true impact of these measures remains unclear, and it’s important to monitor whether they lead to real, substantive changes.
He further added,
“Through the authenticated contracts program and the wage protection program, more than 7 million contracts were signed by employees, obligating employers to pay workers’ wages.”
Furthermore, a commendable job has been done through the Friendly Settlement for Labor Disputes program. It boosted the 77 percent success rate in resolving the major conflicts of labour. It is also important to note that according to Abu Thunin, compliance rates in the Kingdom have seen a noticeable boost since these programs were introduced.
Many government agencies take part in the Riyadh symposium. Organizations that take part in conversation are: the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Public Prosecution, the Human Rights Commission, and the National Committee The purpose of the symposium is to discuss how to handle the human trafficking problems.
Many international organizations also attend this event, like the UN International Children’s Emergency Fund, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN Resident Coordinator Office. The involvement of all these organizations highlights the importance of the event as people across the world are serious about discussing the issues.