GENEVA: Qatar has stressed the importance of international efforts to combat all forms of human trafficking, especially against women and children, as they are crimes that violate human rights and hinder economic and social development.

In a statement delivered by Director General of Public Security at the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Major General Mohammed Jassim Al Sulaiti before the 112th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime - currently being held in Geneva, Qatar highlighted its efforts to combat human trafficking crimes, criminalize all forms of these crimes, and ensure the implementation of its obligations.

Major General Mohammed Jassim Al Sulaiti noted the State of Qatar's issuance of Law No. (15) of 2011 to punish human traffickers, and the establishment of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT). He pointed to the cooperation and partnerships established by Qatar with regional and international organizations concerned with combating human trafficking, mainly the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The Director-General of Public Security at the MOI also praised the efforts of UNODC in promoting and supporting the implementation of the trafficking in persons protocol, and the efforts of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons.

He called for the implementation of its recommendations, especially its call to enhance international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity building to prevent trafficking in persons, and to intensify efforts to combat crimes in this context, including trafficking in persons for the purpose of removing their organs, trafficking in children for the purpose of forced trafficking and terrorism, and crimes of sexual exploitation of children.