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Trafficking of children and their use as camel jockeys

In its earlier comments, the Committee requested the Government to take without delay all the necessary measures to eradicate the trafficking of children to the United Arab Emirates for use as camel jockeys and to punish those responsible. The Committee has noted the Government’s reply to its previous observation on the subject, as well as its reply to comments made by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in its communication of 20 August 2003. It has also noted a new communication sent by the ICFTU in June 2004, which was forwarded to the Government for such comments as might be considered appropriate. In its latest communication, the ICFTU again refers to the persistence of the trafficking of children to the United Arab Emirates.

The Committee recalls that the United Arab Emirates has ratified the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182). In so far as Article 3(a) of Convention No. 182 provides that the worst forms of child labour include "all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour", the Committee is of the view that the problem of the trafficking of children for the purpose of exploiting their labour may be examined more specifically under Convention No. 182. The protection of children is enhanced by the fact that Convention No. 182 requires States which ratify it to take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency. The Committee accordingly asks the Government to refer to its comments on the application of Convention No. 182.

The Committee is also addressing a direct request to the Government on certain other points.