assistance to NGOs working in this field, coordinate with international agencies to acquire technical assistance and facilitate coordination with all stakeholders to create awareness of this issue. MoLG with the responsibility to provide psychosocial support to the victims of human trafficking is not considered as a stakeholder in this committee. Presently, failure to maintain the quorum of the Committee remains as one the core challenges faced to carry out its mandate. 115. The mandate of anti‐human trafficking was realigned from one ministry to another during this reporting period. In 2012, Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights had the mandate to strategize the management of Anti‐Human Trafficking Action Plan. With the enactment of Anti‐ Human Trafficking law in 2013, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) was mandated to carry out the function of combating human trafficking issue. However, with revision of the mandate of MYS in June 2014, by the President’s Office (PO), the function of combating human trafficking was transferred to Ministry of Economic Development (MED).196Additionally, this change is not yet reflected in the aforementioned Anti‐Human Trafficking oversight committee established to combat human trafficking. 116. The mandate of Anti‐Human Trafficking and victims support was under the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights in 2012, (prior to endorsement of Anti‐Human Trafficking Act in 2013) hence to maximize resource constraints faced, ministry decided to share safe house for trafficking victims in the shelter designated for victims of domestic violence.197 Although this arrangement no longer exists, the Anti‐Human Trafficking oversight committee endorsed the Anti‐Human Trafficking Action Plan in March 2015 which encompasses establishment of shelter for victims of human trafficking and is in process of identifying a location to establish this safe house.198 117. From 2008 to 2014 MPS investigated 11 human trafficking cases related to minors and a total of 46 cases (inclusive of both adults and minors) were sent for prosecution from 2008 to 2014.199 118. The fact that LRA has initiated the establishment of Anti‐Human Trafficking Unit is a positive development.200 Lack of financial and human resources appeared to be one of the fundamental challenges faced in the establishment of the required institutional mechanisms needed to combat human trafficking. 119. With the support and assistance from International Organization for Migration (IOM) capacity building programs on anti‐human trafficking were conducted to all relevant stakeholders dealing with the issue. However, such programmes are not sustained but cannot underscore their importance regularly to facilitate and expedite structural reforms needed to address the issues arising from human trafficking and to combat human trafficking. 120. Former Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights, Aishath Azima Shakoor in 2013 acknowledged the use of children as in sex work. In her statement on Children’s Day (2013) said “The abuse of children is on the rise. Children being used as sex workers, where the children are sent to places as a means to pleasure people and to gain an income from such a trade, this is being practiced in the Maldives today. Both boys and girls are being used in this trade”.201The use of females forced into commercial sex work remains as an area that needs a further study. The committee may wish to ask the government 1. Statistics on child victims of human trafficking from 2008 to 2013 2. Statistics on use of children in prostitution (2008 to 2013) 3. Work done to establish the Anti Human Trafficking Unit in Labour Relations Authority Page 28 of 39