§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the alleged sale of children from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates. [20001]
§ Mr. FatchettI asked our Embassy in Abu Dhabi to look carefully into recent media reports of young children from Bangladesh and other countries being sold into employment as camel jockeys in the UAE. They have been unable to substantiate these allegations of trafficking. I have asked them to continue to monitor the situation closely.
578WIn 1993, the UAE Government prohibited the employment of children under 15 as jockeys (as well as of jockeys weighing less than 45 kilograms). The UAE Camel Racing Association is responsible for enforcing these regulations.