LOC15:19
12:19 GMT
VIENNA, May 22 (KUNA) -- Kuwait on Thursday affirmed its commitment in supporting the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in combatting human trafficking and migrant smuggling as it is considered one of the most dangerous forms of international organized crime.
This came in a speech by the Second Secretary of Human Rights Management Haya Al-Duraie during the discussion of the sixth meeting of the 34th Session Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) currently held in Vienna.
Al-Duraie pointed out that the increasing challenges posed by these crimes require strengthening collective international action to reflect the shared commitment to preserving human dignity and achieving justice.
She stressed that Kuwait has taken a series of national measures aimed at combating these crimes, within a constitutional and legislative framework that reflects its international commitments and is in line with its development vision "New Kuwait 2035," which shows importance on enhancing international participation in the field of human rights and achieving sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 8 concerned of decent work and economic growth.
She reviewed the most prominent measures adopted by Kuwait, including the issuance of Law No. (91) of 2013 regarding combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling, in addition to developing the labor laws system, including domestic workers and the private sector, as well as the Foreigners' Residence Law No. (114) of 2024, in a step aimed at controlling and regulating the labor market and reducing violations.
Furthermore, Al-Duraie said that Kuwait established the Permanent National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, as an implementation of a Cabinet decision issued in 2015. The committee includes all relevant entities and operates in accordance with a national strategy launched for the period from 2025 to 2028 titled "Towards Protecting Rights and Promoting Justice."
She emphasized that Kuwait, with this national strategy, seeks to shift from a traditional approach to an integrated approach that focuses on early detection of cases of exploitation, expanding the scope of first responders, and strengthening the concepts of institutional responsibility to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable, with the ultimate goal of raising indicators of justice and the efficiency of national response to such crimes.
Al-Duraie concluded her speech by reaffirming Kuwait's support for the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, its specialized networks, and non-governmental organizations, to build a safer world and a fair one based on respect for human rights and effective international cooperation. (end)
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