Qatar Interior Ministry Promises to End Child Camel Jockey Slavery – A Good First Step

July 25, 2005

In response to the demands of the International community to end human trafficking in this country, a Qatar Interior Ministry official on Sunday reported his country is now taking measures to strengthen their May 2005 law which bans the use of children in camel racing as virtually all child camel jockeys are slaves, sold or abducted into slavery from Pakistan and other countries.

On July 8th the the UAE passed a law making it illegal for children to take part in camel races. Two days later, 86 children who worked as camel jockeys were returned home to Pakistan.

But according to a report in the Times Online from earlier this month, as many as 1,700 children from Pakistan alone are believed to be working as camel jockeys in the Middle East.

These recent reforms do show some change is occurring. Now the policy must be expanded to include the immediate return of all such victims to their homes.