Thursday 29 / October / 2026
MUSCAT: The National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking (NCCHT) has opened an awareness office in the arrivals corridor at Muscat International Airport to inform workers arriving in the Sultanate of Oman of their rights and obligations, and to facilitate their access to the relevant authorities when needed.
The opening of the office comes as part of the efforts of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking to enhance awareness of workers' rights in the Sultanate of Oman, intensify efforts aimed at preventing human trafficking crimes, and provide direct channels to guide incoming workers, inform them of their rights and obligations, and facilitate their access to the competent authorities to obtain support and assistance when needed.
The project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase includes installing a digital screen dedicated to the Committee's website, available in 13 different languages, to display publications and awareness materials related to workers' rights in the Sultanate of Oman, and to provide contact numbers for the embassies of different countries and the Committee's hotline, enabling workers to obtain the necessary information and communicate with the concerned authorities when necessary.
The first phase is limited to providing awareness and guidance content via the digital screen.
The second phase includes assigning an employee from the Ministry of Labour to communicate directly with incoming workers and verify some basic data related to their employment in the Sultanate of Oman, including the name of the employer and the agreed salary, to inform them of their rights and obligations and raise their awareness of working conditions.
Brigadier Jamal bin Habib Al-Quraishi, Director General of Criminal Investigations and Search, Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, affirmed that the opening of the office represents a qualitative step in the field of awareness, and in unifying national efforts to reduce the crime of human trafficking and protect human rights and preserve human dignity.
For his part, Jassim bin Hamoud Al-Malki, Director General of the General Federation of Oman Workers and member of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, told Oman News Agency that the opening of this office reflects an important development in the concept of worker protection. Real protection does not begin when a violation occurs, but begins from the moment the worker obtains correct knowledge of his rights and knows the safe path to reach the competent authorities, and hence this initiative represents an investment in prevention from the first moment the worker arrives in the Sultanate of Oman.
He explained that the qualitative added value of this office lies in giving the worker the opportunity to obtain information from an official and reliable source, instead of relying exclusively on the employer or recruitment intermediary, and in shifting awareness from a stage after the start of the employment relationship to the reception stage, allowing the worker to learn about his rights and obligations in a language he understands, and to receive adequate guidance and detailed information on mechanisms for regulating labour relations and procedural paths for reporting any case of exploitation or human trafficking.
He stressed that the presence of the office at Muscat International Airport enhances integration between the efforts of government agencies and institutions concerned with protecting workers and all persons by providing them with the opportunity to display awareness and educational materials, disseminate communication means and introduce their competencies through the office. The opening of the office confirms that combating human trafficking is not limited to intervention after a violation occurs, but begins with awareness, prevention and facilitating access to protection.
Regarding the office's contribution to raising awareness among incoming workers of their rights and obligations, and preventing the risks of exploitation and human trafficking, he explained that the office contributes to raising awareness by providing clear and simplified information to workers in their languages, addressing their basic rights and legal obligations, helping them understand the nature of the employment relationship and distinguish between legitimate practices and practices that may constitute exploitation.
He mentioned that among the most prominent topics focused on are introducing basic rights at work, the worker's right to receive his agreed wage, knowledge of the terms of the employment contract, working and rest hours, and mechanisms for filing complaints, in addition to raising awareness of the risks of passport retention, coercion, threats, and deception related to the nature of work or its conditions.
He stated that the importance of this awareness is highlighted in that some workers may arrive without sufficient knowledge of the legislation and procedures in force in the Sultanate of Oman, and therefore empowering the worker with knowledge upon arrival constitutes a primary preventive element, and helps him detect indicators of exploitation early and seek help before the problem worsens.
He pointed out that the core value of the office lies in providing information and guidance to workers directly and in an easily understandable manner, whether through interaction with the digital screen or by scanning QR codes or downloading mobile applications of the relevant authorities, in addition to guiding paper publications, and obtaining means of communication and reporting with the competent authorities.
He noted that the presence of a specialized employee at the office enhances this role and allows answering direct inquiries and verifying some basic data of recruitment and the employment contract.
Regarding the availability of materials in 13 languages, he affirmed that it represents an essential element in the success of the initiative, because language barriers are among the most prominent challenges that may prevent workers from knowing their rights or their ability to seek help, and multilingualism does not only achieve wider dissemination of information, but enhances the worker's understanding of the content of awareness messages, reduces the possibility of misleading and misunderstanding, and helps reach workers of various nationalities and cultural and educational backgrounds. The Committee has taken into account the selection of languages according to the most recruited nationalities in the Sultanate of Oman.
Jassim bin Hamoud Al-Malki, Director General of the General Federation of Oman Workers and member of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, affirmed that combating human trafficking is a complementary responsibility that requires cooperation of the concerned authorities according to their competencies. The National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking plays a pivotal role in coordinating national efforts related to combating this crime, developing national policies and plans in this field and following up on their implementation.
He explained that the General Federation of Oman Workers is a key entity in dealing with labour complaints and disputes and monitoring compliance with legislation regulating labour relations, and plays an important awareness role through trade unions in private sector establishments, and coordination with trade union federations in the sending countries of foreign manpower and exchanging information and cooperating with them in the field of combating human trafficking.
He noted that the embassies and diplomatic missions of the countries sending foreign manpower contribute to raising awareness among their citizens, providing consular assistance within the limits of their competencies, and coordinating with the competent Omani authorities when necessary.
The opening was attended by a number of Their Excellencies the Ambassadors accredited to the Sultanate of Oman, and a number of officials and representatives of the concerned authorities.
