United Arab Emirates

Trafficking and forced labour of children in the United Arab Emirates continues

30 October 04

United Nations Commission on Human Rights Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery - 28th Session Geneva 16 - 20 June 2003 >> external link

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Anti-Slavery International claims UAE still uses child slaves as camel jockeys

In 2004, Anti-Slavery International sent a photographer to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to photograph children racing and training in the Gulf state. The photographs prove that, despite the Government's repeated statements that this practice has stopped, it is still a problem. Two years ago, the Government announced that using children under 15 and lighter than 45 kilograms to race camels would be banned from 1 September 2002 and offenders punished. For more about this issue, see our submission to the UN.

All the photographs below were taken in 2004 at the Nad Al Sheba racecourse in Dubai, but children were seen racing and training across the country. To view photographs click here.

Ansar Burney Trust rescues two more 'Child Camel Jockeys' in UAE
Source: Pakistan Press International

LAHORE October 09-(PPI): The volunteers of human and civil rights organisation Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International in UAE rescued two more children on slave labour as 'Child Camel Jockeys' on Saturday, October 09. Reportedly, the Chairman of the Trust Ansar Burney with the co-operation of the Trust volunteers in UAE rescued these two more innocent children from the Camel Race camps in Al-Ain (UAE). Rescued Children namely Abdul Qayyum (3) and Mumtaz (5) were rescued by the volunteers of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, after having several difficulties were working on slave labour as child camel jockeys in UAE since last two to three years. Abdul Qayyum was working on slave labour as 'child camel jockey' since last two years, he was sitting on Camel and started working as 'child camel jockey' when he was only one and a half years old. Mumtaz was on slave labour when he was only 2. The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International is the only human rights organisation working since last several years practically against slave labour in Middle East and Arab Countries to rescue the innocent children working as child camel jockeys in very worst circumstances. It has rescued total 318 children in this current year, 147 children on slave in UAE and 171 children from Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Muscat, Kuwait and other parts of the Arab and Middle East countries and sent them back to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Srilanka and other respective countries for their rehabilitation. These children were trafficked from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and several countries in Africa and brought to the Middle Eastern and Arab countries for several reasons including for sex and slave labour. The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International (ABWTI) has successfully traced out more than hundred thousand (100,000) children from the world over specially from Pakistan, through its Bureau of Missing and Kidnapped Children/Persons and has delivered them safely to their families.

THROUGH ASIA PULSE and Kiplinger.com

09-10 2004