Riyadh, July 7, 2020, SPA -- The Saudi National Committee of Workers Committees (SNCWC) participated in a two-day training workshop organized by the Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC)’s National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The workshop familiarized more than 50 members of the SNCWC and the national labor committees with the rights, responsibilities, and legal frameworks pertinent to combatting human trafficking. Given the SNCWC’s mandate to vouchsafe labor rights in the Kingdom, the organization represents an important part of the fight against trafficking. The Chairman of the SNCWC and chair of this year’s L20 (G20's Labor Engagement Group), Nasser Al-jaryad, opened the event by affirming the importance of the Committee in combatting trafficking-in-persons crimes. “It is the Committee’s mission,” he stated, “to promote human rights in general and workers’ rights in particular. We take this mission very seriously and we take the fight against trafficking very seriously.” The training sessions featured a wide array of experts, including the IOM’s Mohammed Zarkani, Wria Rashid, and Rayan Daibes; the HRC’s Dr. Abdurahman Al-Otaibi; and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s Dr. Muhanad al-Duwaikat. According to Zarkani, IOM’s Chief of Mission for Bahrain, “The IOM will spare no effort in continuing to support the Saudi anti-trafficking committee in carrying out its tasks successfully. We are glad to be a key partner in the kingdom’s effort and we hope to build on recent momentum for the coming years.” An ambitious agenda of training and capacity-building programs has not only continued in the face of COVID-19, but has actually been accelerated and made more inclusive through the leveraging of virtual platforms. According to Sarah Al Tamimi, Vice-Chair of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, “The Saudi National Committee of Workers Committees has an important role to play here. Their access and insights are invaluable to the protection of workers and the fight against trafficking at large. We look forward to building on this fruitful partnership.” --SPA 23:55 LOCAL TIME 20:55 GMT 0028 www.spa.gov.sa/w1366521