Kuwait Times

Published Date: January 10, 2010
By Ahmad Saeid, Staff Writer

KUWAIT: A three-day workshop organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the issues surrounding combating human trafficking begins tomorrow morning, with a number of senior Kuwaiti judicial officials set to participate in the event.

The workshop aims to help the State of Kuwait to benefit from increasing Kuwaiti employees' qualifications by offering the required training in this regard." Iman Ereiqat, the officer in charge of the IOM's regional office, told the Kuwait Times. The workshop, which will be conducted by three IOM international experts, is to be attended by 20 Kuwaiti judges and general prosecutors, who were nominated by the Kuwaiti Institute for Judiciary and Legal Studies.

The event, which is being held with the participation of ambassadors and representatives of international organizations and diplomatic missions to the state of Kuwait, is being financed by the embassy of Netherlands in Kuwait.
The IOM official said that Kuwait does not have a direct trafficking problems, and that this workshop is aiming to 'locating and developing the positive sides' in this country, to better serve the interest of Kuwait and Kuwaiti people.

Human trafficking is the wide title of the issue" said Ereiqat, adding "but it implies a number of issues that can appear in a number of indirect forms, such as forced prostitution, human trading and other violations of this kind.
Ereiqat noted that judges and prosecutors are the most important people to be informed about trafficking issue because they deal with such cases by the nature of their jobs.

Kuwaiti judicial officials are highly qualified, but there's no harm in sharing expertise and emphasizing abilities; that's what this kind of event is all about," Ereiqat said.

The senior IOM official concluded by explaining that the workshop is taking place as part of the continuous cooperation between the IOM and the Kuwaiti government, "which have always fought hard against any manifestation of this issue.

The IOM, which began operating in Kuwait in 1991, was established in 1951. It now operates in 127 countries worldwide to "enhance migration management for the benefit of all," according to the organization's website.