President ratifies Anti-Human Trafficking Bill

The Anti-Human Trafficking Bill, passed by the parliament earlier this month, has been ratified by President Abdulla Yameen and published in the Government Gazette.

The new legislation makes human trafficking an offence in the Maldives.

The main objectives of the bill include preventing trafficking of persons through and across the Maldives, establishing trafficking crimes and prescribing punishments, providing for prosecution of perpetrators of trafficking in persons, providing protection and assistance to victims of human trafficking, promoting and protecting the rights of victims, engaging in cooperation with local and international NGOs in activities to combat human trafficking.