The US State Department's 10th annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report praises Egypt's efforts to reduce human trafficking, reports Reem Leila Egypt has improved its ranking in the US State Department's human trafficking index, rising from the tier three watchlist to tier two. The TIP report, conducted in cooperation with John Hopkins University, divides nations into four tiers. The tier two list includes countries making significant efforts to combat human trafficking, including investigating and prosecuting acts of trafficking, protecting victims of trafficking, and informing and educating the public about the causes and consequences of the trade in people. Of the 177 countries discussed in the 14 June report, only 30 are included in tier one. Twenty three countries have improved their ranking since 2009. Among Arab states, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait remain on the tier three list, while Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen are on tier two. The report mentions that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had identified Egypt as offering a possible model for progress. Egypt, says the report, remains an exporter, transit point and destination for victims of human trafficking. It identified various forms of trafficking in Egypt, including for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation, begging, early marriage, sex tourism, forced labour and domestic servitude. The report made several recommendations to address these problems, more strenuous law enforcement, the application of formal victim identification procedures, and implementing a comprehensive public information campaign among them. Nihal Fahmy, consultant on combating human trafficking at the UN Regional Office for Drugs and Crime, says the main reason Egypt moved from tier three to tier two was the government's approval of anti-trafficking Law 64/2010, which was passed in May. "Penalties in the new anti-trafficking law for those involved directly in human trafficking include prison sentences of up to 15 years. This will help reduce rates of human trafficking in the country," said Fahmy. In addition, anyone found guilty of establishing, organising or running a criminal gang for the purpose of human trafficking could face 20 years in prison. But legislation alone, says Fahmy, is unlikely to be enough. "All concerned authorities, along with governmental and non-governmental organisations, must help increase people's awareness about the dangers of early marriage," she says. The number of children living on Egypt's streets must also be reduced, since street children are often victims of human trafficking. Unemployment, poverty and lack of awareness are the main reasons behind the presence of human trafficking in Egypt, she says. The new law establishes a fund that will provide financial aid to victims to help with their reintegration into society. A National Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Persons has also been set up. "The committee, headed by a Naela Gabr, is charged with the implementation of related laws and with following up on all reported cases," says Fahmy. Affiliated to the cabinet, the committee will submit an annual report to Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif on efforts to combat human trafficking. It will, says Gabr, cooperate with the National Centre for Social and Criminological Research (NCSCR) in preparing the studies and data required to combat the phenomenon. "Training sessions are being conducted to increase people's awareness about the harms of human trafficking. The factors leading to human trafficking -- street children, kidnapping children for adoption abroad and marrying young girls to wealthy Arabs -- are among the issues we will address," says Gabr. Human trafficking is the third most profitable illegal business, following the trade in weapons and drugs. Some estimates place the number of people trafficked in the illegal trade as high as 2.4 million annually. The US State Department's annual report places the numbers between 600,000 and 820,000. The majority are destined to be sold into what is tantamount to sexual slavery. The TIP report highlights five aspects in the Egyptian law that could serve as a model for other states. It identifies the trafficked person as a victim who suffers harm, whether material, moral, or economic; it defines human trafficking broadly enough to cover all forms of exploitation; it exempts victims of trafficking from prosecution for crimes they might commit as a result of being trafficked; it seeks to compensate victims and remains applicable regardless of where the act of trafficking took place. The report recognised the contribution of various government agencies towards the prevention, protection of victims and prosecution of perpetrators of trafficking, including the National Council of Childhood and Motherhood, and the ministries of interior, social solidarity, and health.
