AMMAN (Petra) -- The national strategy to combat human trafficking was launched on Tuesday with an emphasis on prevention, protection, law enforcement and international cooperation.
In a ceremony yesterday, attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Nayef Qadi, Justice Minister Ayman Odeh highlighted the main points of the strategy, which include a practical plan to fight the phenomenon.
The national strategy calls for policies to bring an end to the phenomenon, raise awareness on the dangers of human trafficking and identify its victims in order to protect and support them, Odeh said.
He underlined that human trafficking is not common in Jordan, noting that "few" cases were reported last year and addressed by a specialised unit formed by the Ministry of Labour in cooperation with the Public Security Department.
Odeh called for boosting cooperation with other countries to prevent human trafficking, which has become a prevailing international phenomenon threatening all nations.
The minister said the strategy was developed to reiterate the Kingdom's role in safeguarding human dignity and rights, stressing that the Constitution is based on basic principles that protect the rights of Jordanians in line with international agreements, particularly those pertaining to the Penal Code.
He pointed out that the Kingdom has ratified several international agreements related to human trafficking such as the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which is part of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime.
Odeh indicated that the Kingdom has also approved the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
At the national level, Jordan has ratified the Anti-Human Trafficking Law and formed a national committee responsible for drawing up policies and plans to prevent human trafficking and ensuring their implementation, he added.
© Jordan Times 2010
