Riyadh conference highlights media role in raising public awareness about people trafficking

A major conference on raising public awareness about people trafficking was on Sunday staged in Riyadh.

Experts on the subject took part in panel discussions aimed at highlighting the importance of research and media involvement in combating the global criminal activity.

The event was organized by the Saudi Human Rights Commission to coincide with the UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

Dr. Fawziah Albaker, professor of sociology of education at King Saud University and member of the Saudi Journalists Association, said: “This cause is not urged or informed enough throughout our societies.

“The Department of Combating Trafficking of Persons under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development defines human trafficking as using, appending, transferring, harboring, or receiving a person for the purpose of abuse or exploitation.

“Even everyday people have the power to educate themselves and aspire to raise awareness on human trafficking in order to be informed on its many forms.”

Victims are targeted in various ways, including by stalking and careful selection based on vulnerability, with the prime targets often those most in need of assistance.

False advertising, particularly online, has been identified by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as the most common method used to lure victims. According to a 2020 study, 52 percent of people trafficked were men, 40 percent women, 6 percent girls, and 2 percent boys.

Dr. Aljohara Alzamil, assistant professor of social services at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, said studies on the social aspect of people trafficking and its impact on communities and victims had been few and far between, especially in the Middle East region.

Speaking about her recently published work on the matter, she said: “This is why we’ve conducted this research to shed light on research and media activity related to this phenomenon in an effort to present a vision that activates and benefits protecting victims from this issue on the one hand and combating it on the other.”

Delegates discussed the vital role played by media outlets in driving global social change and their responsibility in helping shape public perception and awareness of human trafficking.

They noted that reporters and influencers were in a position to put the illegal trade under the public spotlight.

Metab Alinizi, the CEO of Ibtissam, an association working to empower victims of human trafficking, pointed out that those who had experienced it were best placed to relay the truth about the trade.

He said: “Our role is to dissect what’s behind the news. How did the victim fall into this position, making them vulnerable and taken advantage of? How did they get there?”

Alinizi referenced the 2023 film “Sound of Freedom” — the true story of a former government agent who embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers — as an example of how sharing victims’ stories helped to erode stereotyping around the topic while staying true to the authenticity of events.

For research initiatives to thrive, experts suggested that more consolidated national regulations, data, and information needed to be shared and international learning and higher education institutions encouraged to collaborate in research and promoting awareness.

Dr. Mishal Alsamhan, a law faculty member at Majmaah University, said: “It’s the role of the researcher to highlight the connection between human trafficking legislations and other laws, as well as how judicial authorities, media entities, or others deal with this issue.”

To help increase media engagement on the topic, there was a need to bolster the role of social media platforms and journalists, conference attendees agreed, noting that it could be done by promoting greater awareness and cultural education, as well as through media campaigns, websites, and television and radio coverage.

Speakers noted that Saudi Arabia had taken significant strides at regional and international levels to combat human trafficking, including the development of legislation and other mechanisms to prevent and address the issue.