The Cabinet strengthened the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking by adding more prosecutors to the two-year-old body.
The move was taken at yesterday's session, chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, WAM reported.
The decision to include more prosecutors on the committee came as its head, Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, called on authorities to use the full force of Law 51, aimed at fighting human trafficking in the UAE.
Gargash urged police and judicial officials "to tighten control on labour supply offices and ensure they do not abuse newly recruited labourers."
Under the law, cases of trafficking in the domestic labour workforce must be investigated and prosecuted, a statement released on Sunday quoted Gargash as telling a special seminar.
The law, enacted in 2006, stipulates jail term from one year to life for those convicted of human trafficking, and a fine of up to Dh900,000. A year later the UAE donated Dh55m for the establishment of the Vienna-based UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking.
Gargash said the strategy of the national committee "is based on three main planks: developing legislation related to human trafficking, enabling relevant authorities where necessary to implement the legislation and providing victims with protection."
He said the committee has called for more prosecutions, focussing on efforts against this crime, and urged all departments and government bodies to work towards a centralised documentation system on trafficking "so that we know the extent of the problem."
At the seminar, Gargash also discussed the US State Department report for 2007 which "highlighted a number of positive aspects" of the UAE's fight against human trafficking.
"We have achieved many key successes in this field in a short space of time that was highlighted by the report and we must continue in these efforts," Gargash noted.
Other decisions
The Cabinet also approved a raft of other decisions on Sunday, including the establishment of a federal award to encourage charity and social responsibility among individuals and companies which present the best initiatives in the areas of social development and welfare.
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