Anti-human trafficking legislations in the UAE and UK a comparative study

This thesis addresses how to combat the offence of human trafficking, with particular emphasis on the development of trafficked victims' rights, their protection and traffickers' convictions. The study analysed legal responses to human trafficking at three levels: international, regional, and national; identifying it as a threefold phenomenon, involving criminal law and human rights. The main purpose was to critically analyse United Arab Emirates legislation against the offence of trafficking, and compare it with United Kingdom legislation. The study comprises five chapters, proceeding from the general background of the phenomenon to the modification of the framework for convicting traffickers in the UAE system. The actual application of criminal law relating to the trafficking offence in the UAE and UK was investigated through case law, as was the protection extended to victims of trafficking. From the literature review, it was discovered that human trafficking is a multi-faceted problem; thus, a comprehensive approach to tackle it is needed. The thesis concludes that, although the UAE and UK have adopted/amended their anti-trafficking legislation, they have yet to create an effective protection framework for its victims. In particular, UAE law fails to convict those who commit the trafficking offence in the period before the exploitation has taken place. This thesis calls for an amendment to UAE law, moving toward development of the conviction issue, by adopting the principle of presumed exploitation or the principle of probable (belief) exploitation.