Guide to Covering Human Trafficking, Forced Labor & Undocumented Migration in Gulf Arab Countries by Migrant-Rights.org.
From the post:
Over 11 million migrant workers work in the six Middle Eastern countries — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman — that make up the political and economic alliance known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Migrants comprise an extraordinary 67 percent of the labor force in these countries. Reforms in labor laws, adopted by just a few Gulf countries, are rarely implemented.
Abuse of these workers is widespread, with contract violations, dangerous working conditions and unscrupulous traffickers, brokers and employers. Media outlets, both local and international, have generally not covered this topic closely. Journalists attempting to investigate human trafficking and forced labor in the region have faced a lack of information, restrictions on press freedom and security threats. Some have faced detention and deportation.
…
For these reasons, GIJN, in collaboration with human rights organizations, is launching this first bilingual guide to teach journalists best practices, tools and steps in reporting on human trafficking and forced labor in the Gulf region…
If you are reporting on any aspect of these issues, see also the GINJ’s global Reporting Guide to Human Trafficking & Slavery.
Be aware that residence in a Gulf Arab State isn’t a requirement for reporting on human trafficking.
The top port of entry for human trafficking in the United States is shown on this excerpt of a Google Map:
That’s right, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Despite knowing their port of entry, Hartsfield-Jackson has yet to make an arrest for human trafficking. (as of May 3, 2017)
Schemes such as Hartsfield-Jackson Wants Travelers to Be the ‘Eyes and Ears’ Detecting Sex Trafficking, may explain their lack of success. Making it everyone’s responsibility means it’s no one’s responsibility.
Improvements aren’t hard to imagine. Separating adults without minors from those traveling with minors would be a first step. Separating minors from their accompanying adults, with native speakers who can speak with the minors privately, plus advertised guarantees of protection in the United States, would be another.
Those who could greatly reduce human trafficking have made a cost/benefit analysis and chosen to allow it to continue. In both the Gulf Arab States, the United States and elsewhere.
I’m hopeful you will reach a different conclusion.
Supporting GIJN, Migrate-Rights.org, your local reporters, are all ways to assist in combating human trafficking. Data wranglers of all levels and hackers should volunteer their efforts.