A/66/44
refoulement obligations under the Convention or other international human rights
instruments.
Human trafficking
(21) The Committee takes note of the adoption in 2005 of the Human Trafficking Act,
and its 2009 amendment, which brought the definition of trafficking in line with the
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and
Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime. However, the Committee expresses its concern at persistent reports of internal and
cross-border trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation or
forced labour as, for example, domestic workers or head-load carriers (kayaye). The
Committee is also concerned at the lack of statistics in the State party’s report on, inter alia,
the number of prosecutions, convictions and sentences of perpetrators of trafficking,
including for child labour, and the absence of practical measures taken to prevent and
combat this phenomenon. It also notes with concern that there is no formal referral process
to transfer victims in protective custody to other facilities (arts. 2, 12 and 16).
The State party should:
(a)
Intensify its efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings,
especially women and children, including by implementing the anti-trafficking
legislation, providing protection for victims and ensuring their access to medical,
social, rehabilitative and legal services, including counselling, as appropriate;
(b)
Ensure adequate conditions for victims to exercise their rights to make
complaints;
(c)
Conduct prompt, impartial investigations of trafficking and ensure that
those who are found guilty for such crimes are punished with penalties appropriate to
the nature of their crimes;
(d)
Conduct nation-wide awareness-raising campaigns and conduct training
for law enforcement officials;
(e)
Provide detailed information on the number of investigations and
complaints of human trafficking, as well as prosecutions and convictions in such cases.
Violence against women, including domestic violence
(22) The Committee takes note of the adoption in 2007 of the Domestic Violence Act and
the statistics presented by the State party during the dialogue on the domestic violence
cases that occurred in 2010. However, the Committee is concerned at reports of widespread
violence against women, including domestic violence; the partial implementation of the
Domestic Violence Act; and that the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit
(DOVVSU) of the Police Service is inadequately resourced. The Committee is concerned at
the reluctance of the State party to criminalize marital rape, and the lack of information in
the State party’s report on the number of complaints, investigations, prosecutions,
convictions and sentences imposed in cases of violence against women during the period
under review (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16).
The Committee urges the State party:
(a)
To investigate, bring to trial and punish the perpetrators of such acts;
(b)
To take more effective measures to protect and assist the victims;
(c)
To allocate sufficient financial resources to ensure the effective
functioning of DOVVSU;
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