UNICEF SIGNS ACCORD WITH UAE TO HELP CAMEL JOCKEYS BACK HOME

United News of Bangladesh, May 12, 2005

The UNICEF and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a 2.7 million
dollar agreement to help return and re-integrate the underage camel
jockeys in their home communities, including Bangladesh and
Pakistan.According to a report received from Abu Dhabi here today, the
accord would boost government efforts to exclude children from camel
racing and prevent the exploitation of youngsters brought in as jockeys
from other countries, especially in Asia. Most of the youngsters used in
camel-racing in the UAE - a very popular sport in the Gulf region - are
under the age of ten.The accord followed a meeting last week with the
government and NGO delegates from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sudan and
Mauritania to review steps needed to remove children from camel racing and
assist their home countries in their bid to bring back and rehabilitate
the youngsters.According to the UAE interior ministry, around 2,800 of the
roughly 3,000 children currently involved in camel racing are under 10.
With technical assistance from the United Nations Children's Fund, the
ministry plans to review these figures in a survey on camel riders.Camel
racing is officially banned in the UAE for children under the age of 16.
However, UNICEF estimates that thousands of children are still smuggled
illegally into the country and employed as jockeys by camel breeders.
Until now, the UAE has simply asked camel breeders who employ under-age
children as jockeys to return them to their home countries immediately.