Executive Education Center Delivers Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness Course

Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Executive Education Center (EEC) delivered an interdisciplinary course on Combatting Human Trafficking in the USA between November 8-12. The five-day training course was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, D.C. and the US-based Attorney General Alliance (AGA) - an alliance of attorneys general, states, organizations, countries, and partners throughout the world.

Aimed at building awareness about the causes and consequences of human trafficking, the course was delivered by faculty and practitioners from Stanford University and the AGA. The training covered the definition of human trafficking under international and domestic laws - and explored who it affects, how it operates, and what strategies exist to combat it. With the workshop’s participants occupying leadership positions in various Qatari and governmental departments, the training provided the tools they needed to recognize indicators for trafficking and solicit a rapid response from certified advocates and authorities. 

Human trafficking impacts every continent and all types of economies. This illicit industry is continuously growing and its global profits amount to nearly $32 billion annually. It is of particular relevance to Qatar considering the country's geographic location as well as its steady efforts to support - and conform to - the efforts of the United Nations and other international agencies in their fight against this illegal practice. 

Explaining the aims and impact of the course, Aphrodite Hammad, Executive Director at HBKU’s EEC, said: “The program was designed to support government professionals who may confront this form of exploitation in the course of their duties. We express our appreciation to the AGA and Stanford University’s speakers for ensuring that our participants were trained and exposed to insightful content. Our international partnerships with premier education providers, practitioners, and experts are key to our efforts to create world-class learning and professional development opportunities with societal benefits. At the same time, we also thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Qatar Embassy in Washington for their invaluable support.”

Hammad expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities presented by this program, as it was the first international training to be organized on this scale. In addition to benefiting from the world-class expertise of the trainers, the participants were enriched by the cultural exchange associated with attending the course on campus in the USA and interacting with faculty members from Stanford University.

HBKU's EEC was founded with a mandate to provide highly specialized training programs that address topics of relevance to Qatar’s industries, policies, and economy. Custom-made courses that complement national priorities are in place to support governmental agencies, ministries, and corporations in their efforts to build capacity and transfer knowledge.