UAE TIP SHELTER OPTIONS INADEQUATE BUT THERE IS HOPE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000243

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, G/TIP, NEA/RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KCRM ELAB KMPI KTIP AE
SUBJECT: UAE TIP SHELTER OPTIONS INADEQUATE BUT THERE IS HOPE

REFS: A) 07 ABU DHABI 1272, B) 07 DUBAI 629, C) 08 ABU DHABI 377, D)
08 ABU DHABI 135

ABU DHABI 00000243 001.2 OF 002


Sensitive but unclassified.


1. (U) This is a joint Embassy Abu Dhabi - Consulate General Dubai
cable.


2. (SBU) Summary: UAE shelter options for victims of domestic abuse
and trafficking (sexual or otherwise) remain limited. In Dubai,
there is only one officially recognized facility of whose existence
the wider Dubai community knows very little. In Abu Dhabi, the only
officially-recognized shelter has yet to formally open and there is
virtually no awareness of its existence other than media reports that
allude to a new shelter. Public awareness of both the shelters
ranges from limited at best to virtually non-existent; even among
those providing victim services, knowledge of the shelters available
is sorely lacking. The managers of all shelters recognize the need
for facilities for women and children, but no facilities cater to
men. Shelter options appear inadequate relative to the scale and
complexity of the problem. (Septel will address non-official
shelters in the UAE.) End summary.


3. (U) In preparation for the 2008 report on Trafficking in Persons
(TIP) and in an effort to assess the services available to victims of
domestic violence and trafficking, PolOffs visited the only two
official shelters in the UAE.

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THE ONLY OFFICIAL SHELTER IN DUBAI:
WELL APPOINTED BUT NOT SO WELCOMING
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4. (SBU) The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children
(DFWC)--established by the Dubai Government in 2007--operates the
only officially recognized shelter for female and minor victims of
domestic abuse and trafficking (ref A). Although there have been a
number of aesthetic changes to the DFWC since EmbOffs' previous
visits (ref B),the facility creates both physical and emotional
barriers to entry: management argues that the security guards and
razor wire (partly carried over from the facility's previous role as
a mandatory drug rehab center) physically protect victims from
abusers; the blindingly white walls present a stark almost severe
exterior although efforts have been made to make the interior warmer;
the large facility (can easily house 200) is more institutional in
appearance than it is comfortably homey. However, austere physical
appearances aside, the facility is well appointed and immaculately
maintained.


5. (SBU) EmbOffs experienced first-hand how the bureaucracy
associated with entering the facility hinders the shelter's
accessibility. DFWC staff asked EmbOffs to sign paperwork that, as
expected, asked visitors to respect the confidentiality of the
residents, but went further to codify what could and could not be
discussed within the shelter. The vetting and intake process for
potential residents is even more bureaucratic and could add to the
victims' distress. Any would-be resident is required to submit to
police questioning (and police referrals are a primary intake
source). Shelter management and police may perceive this as harmless
and relevant to investigations, but it is potentially traumatic for
victims afraid of law enforcement authorities and unsure of the true
purpose of the interrogation.


6. (SBU) PolOffs discovered through a series of conversations around
Dubai that awareness of the shelter and its services was limited. Of
consulates from 14 labor-sending countries which we contacted, five
(China, Russia, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan) had no
knowledge of the shelter; three (Eritrea, Ukraine, and Belarus) were
aware of but had no contact with the shelter; three (Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan) were aware of and referred people to the
shelter; and three (India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines) were aware
of the shelter but preferred to accommodate victims in their own ad
hoc, dedicated shelters. This poll of consulates suggests that the
general community is even less aware of the DFWC shelter's existence,
calling into question the DFWC's claims that their shelter is widely
known in the target community and easy to access. (Post has
recommended that the National anti-TIP committee conduct a diplomatic
briefing to spread awareness of shelter services.) The shelter's
literature advertises a helpline for victims to call when in need of
assistance; however, when Embassy staff made seven attempts at
different times of day over a period of three days, the line was only
answered once.

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THE ONLY OFFICIAL SHELTER IN ABU DHABI:
COZY BUT POTENTIALLY BUREAUCRATIC
--------------


ABU DHABI 00000243 002.2 OF 002



7. (SBU) Abu Dhabi is due to open its first shelter for women and
children (ref D). Established under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima
bint Mubarak, the widow of the late founder of the UAE, the new
facility will cater only to women and children who are victims of
trafficking, not victims of domestic violence. Although the shelter
has not officially opened, it has already accepted two women, one of
whom is currently resident and one already repatriated to her home
country of Uzbekistan.


8. (SBU) Unlike its Dubai counterpart, the physical appearance of
the Abu Dhabi shelter is warm and accommodating (essentially a
renovated family villa). The villa's small exterior belies its
capacity to house 40 women comfortably in single bedrooms, each with
nearby bathrooms. It is evident that tremendous care has gone into
the aesthetics of the building. While there are bureaucratic
barriers to accessing the Abu Dhabi shelter (it will accept referrals
from some churches and perhaps embassies, but also from the police),
women will reportedly be encouraged to file cases with the police
after the shelter has ensured that their rights will be protected.
(The shelter proprietor was clearly protective of her future wards'
individual rights.) Secrecy surrounding the location of the villa
(to protect privacy and prevent abusers from stalking victims) may
also limit access to the services of the shelter. Like the DFWC, the
Abu Dhabi shelter offers a comprehensive menu of services including
legal advice, psychological care, medical care, recreational therapy,
and skills training. The management of the shelter intends to
perform trend analyses on victim profiles in order to lay the
foundation for a more comprehensive approach to the country's
anti-TIP efforts. The shelter's budget will be fully funded for the
first three years of operation by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Comment


9. (SBU) The establishment of the Abu Dhabi shelter, expected to
open shortly, is yet another acknowledgement that trafficking is a
real problem in the UAE and its services are needed. In that
respect, it reflects a positive move in the country's anti-TIP
efforts and should be encouraged to develop user-friendly tactics and
broad community outreach. The focus of the much more established
facility in Dubai, the DFWC, on best practices and international
standards, while laudable, risks perfection becoming the enemy of the
good, with a potential loss of the human touch and too few
beneficiaries from the community it was established to serve.
Additionally, the fact that no shelters currently address the needs
of male trafficking victims indicates that the complexity of the TIP
problem in the UAE has yet to be fully addressed. (Even
representatives from the largest male labor-sending countries --
India and Pakistan -- apparently fail to see the need for facilities
that cater to men.) End comment.
OLSON