The Emirates Child Protection Association has recognized that there are challenges facing efforts made in the field of child protection, most notably the lack of numbers of child protection specialists, their recruitment and adequate training, whether in the institutions concerned with the community development sector or the medical sectors, as it confirmed that their numbers and rehabilitation programs are still vastly different between these Institutions, asking these authorities to follow the distinguished practical steps initiated by the Department of Social Services in the Emirate of Sharjah, and the Ministry of Education, in this regard.
On the occasion of the Emirati Children's Day, Faisal Mohammed Al-Shammari, Chairman of the Society, stressed that the UAE has given child care and protection a special priority, as it is one of the first countries to enact laws dealing with children's rights, and approved and signed many international agreements in this field, and developed policies and controls, and supported Innovative initiatives to this end, in addition to its clear footprints in strengthening local and international efforts, in protecting children from any form of abuse or exploitation.
He emphasized that the role of child protection specialists is not limited to following up cases remotely, but also attending investigation sessions, pointing out that the specialist's role is pivotal in preventing and taking immediate and proactive measures, adding: “We have noted the absence of this role in investigating some cases, such as the case of the battered girl before. Her mother, due to her disagreement with her father from whom she separated.
Al-Shammari pointed out that the role of child protection specialists was required by the need that has been proven in troubled and disjointed families, such as the case of the child, Dima, and the child Nouf, and even the student who died as a result of the violence committed by his former addictive father. With her to avoid repetition, and we look forward to working with the remaining parties to achieve the noble goals of issuing a law and lasting for the rights of the child, in a way that enhances the position of the UAE.
He stressed that the child has become a pillar of institutional work to be celebrated by all government agencies, and other institutions, through plans and initiatives implemented throughout the year, and crowning efforts and publicizing them and announcing their results on this day.
Al-Shammari reviewed the achievements of the association in the field of child protection in cooperation with partners, including contributing to strengthening institutional cooperation and partnership with the government and private sectors, providing community work, framing volunteer work in the areas of child protection, and enhancing community awareness to protect children from all forms of neglect and abuse.
In a related context, he praised the readiness of many government entities for the future, noting the meeting of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in January of last year, with an Emirati family who chose for their four children, according to their different ages, to study in With the support of the Legislative Laboratory, which was launched by His Highness as a laboratory to proactively design the future, the lab issued the first license to prepare legislation for distance learning after studying and experimenting with the “Rahal” project, which is affiliated to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, to be based on a license to prepare legislation that allows the establishment of schools For distance education, And its adoption as an academically recognized means of acquiring knowledge while adopting the outputs of the “Rahal” project, for admission to universities and higher education institutions.
The role of child protection specialists is not only to follow up cases remotely, but also to attend investigative sessions.
The child has become a pillar of institutional work, through plans and initiatives implemented throughout the year.