Human trafficking is a large and devastating issue that the world faces today. It is defined by the UN as “illegal transportation of people against their will for the purpose of exploitation.”The terror that this issue represents is one that has lasted for a long time and still continues today. The two main desires for human trafficking are sexual exploitation and child labor. Essentially, this is a form of slavery, that mainly affects women, children, and migrants. The issue has been addressed in the past, with many groups and committees working to abolish it. Despite this, human trafficking continues to grow and be a issue all over the world, especially due to the rising numbers of migrants.
Currently, Kuwait does not specifically outlaw human trafficking, but does have laws written in it’s criminal code that do not permit acts such as transnational slavery and forced prostitution. These laws together are crucial to a government that does not stand for human trafficking. Despite this, there is a lack of government enforcement in the Kuwaiti government that leads to little success in decreasing the rate of human trafficking. On top of little government enforcement, there is little punishment for committing either of these crimes, sometimes only requiring a fine, specifically for the forced prostitution of adults. With such a lacking system, Kuwait struggles to see any current progress in this area, but has no opposition to working towards a safer future for its citizens.
To solve this issue, a great amount of government enforcement, and cooperation is required. Education is key to help the economy understand the effects of human trafficking and how they can help prevent it. Countries everywhere, including Kuwait, have no excuse to not have laws specifically against human trafficking. This is a global battle that requires global cooperation. Right now, there are already many organizations working on fighting human trafficking. By giving these organizations our support, we can make a big difference. An example of one of these organizations is 3Strands Global, which uses education, and creates jobs for those at risk of human trafficking. Creating jobs is another important way we can protect people from human trafficking. By being proactive with these ideas, Kuwait and many other countries are sure to lower the severity of human trafficking around the world.
- Layah Fedrizzi
