The first amendment to the Maldives Anti-Human Trafficking Act (Act no. 12/2003) has been ratified.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the amendment on Sunday.

The amendment was brought to Article 16(b) of the Act under which the number of members of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee (NAHTSC) will be reduced from 14 to 10.

It further states that the previous committee will continuously function until a new committee is formed. A new committee is stipulated to be formed within 1 days of the ratification of the amendment.

The amendment received approval from the People’s Majlis on 18 March at the 22nd sitting of the first session.

Upon ratification, the Amendment has now been publicized in the ‎government gazette.‎

This comes at a time the Cabinet of Minister passed the Maldives National Anti-Human Trafficking Action Plan (NAP) 2020 – 2022 during February 2020.

Formulated by the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee (NAHTSC) chaired by the Ministry of Defense and National Security since December 2019, the plan was formed in consultation with relevant local and international stakeholders, the plan comes into effect on 30 March this year and is to conclude by December 2022.

It aims to boost efforts to eradicate Trafficking of Persons (TIP) in the Maldives. A number of key initiatives will be executed under the plan, including a baseline study to gauge the human trafficking situation in the country, Inter Alia.

It further includes revisions to the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act (PHTA) to align the human trafficking definition with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol. Also, it will streamline NAHTSC’s functioning and set up a dedicated anti-human trafficking office alongside a toll-free hotline to report suspected offenders and victims of human trafficking.

In addition, the purpose of the plan is also to increase monitoring, screening, investigation, prosecution, conviction for all forms of trafficking, conduct anti-human trafficking workshops for law enforcement, immigration, social service providers, judges and prosecutors.