MALDIVES: THE EIGHTH ANNUAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000328 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, SCA/RA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ELAB ASEC PREF KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD MV SUBJECT: MALDIVES: THE EIGHTH ANNUAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) REPORT REF: STATE 02731 ¶1. (U) Mission's submission for the eighth annual Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for Maldives follows. Responses are keyed to questions in reftel. Mission point of contact is Poloff Amy Trimble, telephone +94-11-249-8822, fax +94-11-249-8820. Paragraph 27: Maldives Overview -------------- ¶2. (SBU) A -- Maldives is not a country of origin, transit, or destination for a significant number of internationally trafficked persons. In 2007, in the only instance of trafficking known to post, a Thai woman who had been recruited to work in a spa reported being detained by a Maldivian employer and forced to work as a housemaid, receiving a lower salary than promised. The labor recruiter was arrested by Thai authorities and charged with illegal labor brokering. There were no reports of persons trafficked from or within the country. A, continued -- On the website for its October 2007 South Asia Regional Conference, the UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) stated: "There are hardly any reports of trafficking in persons from the Maldives. Laws prevent employment of children under 14 but the law does not talk about trafficking in persons." In a 2007 report, the Asian Development Bank stated, "the Maldives does not experience the levels of absolute poverty which drive women in other South Asian countries into risky occupations or increase their risk of becoming the victims of human trafficking." A 2006 report by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime listed Maldives as "low" incidence of reporting as an origin country, "very low" incidence of reporting as a destination country, and did not list Maldives as a transit country. B -- There does not appear to be a human trafficking problem in Maldives. The law does not prohibit trafficking in persons. Nevertheless, the government has participated in regional efforts to combat human trafficking in South Asia. C -- There are no government agencies uniquely involved in anti-trafficking efforts. However, representatives of the Child Protection Authority and the National Human Rights Commission participated in the UN.GIFT's October 2007 regional conference. D-E -- Funding for the police is adequate, and the government monitors immigration and emigration patterns to avoid illegal immigration of all types. Paragraph 28: Investigations and Prosecution of Traffickers -------------- ¶3. (SBU) A -- Maldives does not have a law that prohibits trafficking in persons. B -- Not applicable. C -- The law does not prohibit forced or compulsory labor, including by children, and there were reports that child labor occurred in some sectors of the economy. However, the law bars children less than 14 years of age from paid or hazardous work. Government employment guidelines prohibit hiring of children under 18 and employment in hazardous jobs. The Child Protection Unit of the Ministry of Gender and Family is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Child Protection Act. D -- There are no laws pertaining to sexual harassment or domestic violence against women, and no specific laws dealing with spousal rape. Police officials reported that they received few complaints of assaults against women. The Gender Equality Council advised the government on policies to help strengthen the role of women. E -- Prostitution is illegal, but occurred on a small scale in ¶2007. M -- There were no reports of child sex tourism in Maldives. However, in 2007 the Ministry of Gender and Family Development reported child abuse, including sexual abuse. Penalties for the sexual abuse of children ranged from as much as three years' imprisonment to banishment to a remote atoll. At a January 2007 meeting on Maldives held by the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Minister of Gender and Family said that "to address emerging issues, the Government was amending [the law on protection of the rights of the child], especially in the area of trafficking and sexual exploitation of children." Paragraph 29: Protection and Assistance to Victims -------------- ¶4. (SBU) C -- The government does not provide funding or material support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to victims of trafficking. G -- Not applicable. BLAKE