Human rights in Oman

The situation of human rights in Oman is not well publicized.

Children's rights

There are no reports of child prostitution in Oman. [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61696.htm Oman - U.S. State Department's 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices] ] Child labor is not a problem. In 2003, the government raised the minimum age to work from 13 to 15 years of age.

Human trafficking

Despite criticisms over the “lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons over the last year,” the U.S. State Department's 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) notes that Oman is making “significant efforts” to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. [http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2006/65989.htm U.S. State Department's 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report] ] The TIP Report cites a “lack of increasing efforts” to promote a national plan to prevent trafficking, prosecute trafficking claims, increase public awareness, and improve screening of foreigners that the country deports. The Omani government has undertaken a number of positive actions to combat these challenges.

The TIP Report states that “ [t] here have been reports from foreign entities that expatriate children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani territory.” Omani law, however, requires that “ [a] ll persons who serve as camel jockeys are now required to register in person with the Omani Camel Racing Federation and submit a passport, photographs, and a birth certificate showing them to be at least 15 years of age.” The U.S. State Department’s 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices further states, “While one NGO reported unsubstantiated claims of evidence near the Buraimi Oasis that foreign children were trafficked to the country for training as camel jockeys, the local UNICEF representative concurred with the government's denial that foreign children were trafficked and employed as camel jockeys. According to a December 20 statement from the International Labor Organization, child camel jockeys were no longer an issue in the country.”

The TIP Report expresses concern that “the Omani government did not report any prosecutions in the last 12 months and has taken no active measures to investigate trafficking in persons.” Although there is no comprehensive anti-trafficking law, Oman’s criminal law can be used to prosecute trafficking crimes. The Omani government has expressed that it will enhance its enforcement of existing laws and enact new laws prohibiting employers from withholding foreign workers' documents. [ Letter from Maqbool Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Sultanate of Oman to USTR Robert Portman on May 8, 2006]

Despite claims that “officials have no screening procedure to distinguish illegal migrants from trafficking victims,” the TIP Report also acknowledges that the government relies on foreign embassies and charitable groups to assist in providing protective services to victims of trafficking. “The embassies of the Philippines and Sri Lanka, for instance, manage halfway houses for domestic workers.” Oman has requested international assistance in developing a comprehensive screening program to differentiate trafficking victims from foreigners whom the government deports.

Oman has taken numerous actions to prevent human trafficking, such as increased military and police patrol of borders to prevent illegal entry into the country, increased resources to improve monitoring of maritime and land borders, and introduction of a special visa regime applicable to particular countries to “thwart the international sex trade.”

In addition, Oman responded positively to the Special Rapporteur of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and extended an invitation for a visit in 2006. [ [http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/visits.htm Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children, Country Visits"] ]

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61696.htm Oman - U.S. State Department's 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices]
* [http://hrw.org/doc/?t=mideast&c=oman Oman] at Human Rights Watch
* [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/62783/ Censorship in Oman] - IFEX