Engaging religious leaders to combat trafficking

29 July 2008 - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Afghan Ministry of Hajj and Endowment held the first-ever roundtable with religious leaders to discuss human trafficking in Afghanistan in the context of Islam.

"Given the significant role that religious leaders play in communities and the country as a whole, an effective counter trafficking programme requires their cooperation, particularly in rural areas," says IOM Chief of Mission Robbie Thomson.

Afghanistan is both an origin and destination country for trafficked women and children. Abductions for forced marriage, debt release, settlement of blood feuds, forced prostitution, sexual and domestic servitude are the most rampant forms of trafficking. Cross-border trafficking is also cause for serious concern. A 2005 report by UNICEF holds that around 1 million children under 14 years of age are forced into labour. Afghan children are often trafficked to foreign countries, including Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia, and forced into begging, labour and sexual exploitation.

Held in Kabul, a total of 40 clerics, or ulama, from Kabul and 20 other provinces took part in the roundtable last week. The event followed the introduction of Afghanistan's first counter-trafficking law, which defines the crime according to international standards, determines punishments for perpetrators, and sets out to support victims.

Participants were familiarized with the definition of "trafficking in persons" according to the international protocols, and given examples of how trafficking can occur and to whom. Moreover, participants reviewed the provisions that exist within Islam to suppress this crime.

From Kabul University, two Afghan experts on Islamic law were invited to share their views. One of the discussions focused on Hadith Qudsi, a holy book by the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H), which condemns traffickers. Article 2114 of the text describes a trafficker as:

"a man who has sold a free man and has consumed the price," "a man who has hired a workman, has exacted his due in full from him and has not given him his wage," and "a man who has made a slave of another and has sold him."

The participating ulama have now committed themselves to raising awareness on human trafficking amongst vulnerable groups in their respective communities, in particular through discussion and prayer. They have also committed themselves to supporting the referral of victims to assistance facilities.

Mandated to provide assistance in the context of migration, the Afghan Ministry of Interior has requested IOM to provide help in all areas of prevention, protection and prosecution. IOM is currently implementing a nationwide counter trafficking information campaign targeting schoolchildren through teacher training. In the past year, 35 teachers have been trained as master trainers. These have helped train a further 1,500 teachers who have disseminated trafficking-related information to some 200,000 students in every Afghan province.