Within the framework of enhancing legal awareness of mechanisms for securing and protecting the rights of the child, the Department of Social Services in Sharjah organized a scientific symposium entitled “Child protection between legislation and implementation,” in which governmental institutions working in the field of child protection participated. About 123 participants from specialists and workers in the field of protection and various Community members, in the Sharjah Police Academy Hall. The importance of organizing this symposium comes in its first edition; Based on the belief of the Social Services Department in the importance of activating partnership and complementarity in roles between all institutions concerned with children and exchanging views on the procedures and measures provided in this regard, in addition to informing workers who deal with children in all institutions of the rights of the child mentioned in the "Wadima Law", and raising knowledge awareness These workers have child protection articles in other laws in the United Arab Emirates. The symposium included three main axes represented in “the basic rights of the child, which were dealt with by the Wadima law and other legislation in the United Arab Emirates, while the second axis included“ the procedures and measures followed in the Child Rights Protection Department in the Department of Social Services, ”while the topic was titled:“ Mechanisms and Maps Responding to reports of violence or abuse in the partners in the child protection umbrella, "followed by a discussion session that touched upon many issues related to children. Bright points and positive notes .. His Excellency Afaf Ibrahim Al-Marri, member of the Executive Council - Head of the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, affirmed that the department decided to organize this scientific symposium in its first edition, with the aim of discussing practices and behaviors that impede the application of the law, and informing those concerned with those obstacles and challenges that stand in the way of child protection, And inform workers in the educational and health field of the importance of securing children's rights by making use of the theses of experts and specialists that were presented during the symposium. As confirmed by the Head of the Social Services Department during her intervention, many such workshops and scientific sessions will be activated at the level of the Emirate of Sharjah, as they have many benefits that establish a culture of child protection and enhance the proactive ways of that protection, in line with the vision of the United Arab Emirates 2021, with regard to child protection And, in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to enhance the position of the child at the forefront of Sharjah’s priorities and interests towards society. Afaf Al-Marri praised the discussion session touching on many issues that influenced the symposium with positive points and observations, and it is expected that they will be presented to the permanent committee for the care of children deprived of social care to study and raise them to the competent authorities in order to overcome everything that facilitates the means of protection, whether for parents or entities Working in the child field. Educating the community and the specialists .. Dr. Walid Khalid Al Hammadi, First Deputy Undersecretary, Director of Juvenile Prosecution at the Sharjah Public Prosecution, presented the importance of the symposium and its main axes, stressing that it aims to raise awareness and familiarize the community and those working with child protection, as this symposium urges them with their obligations and rights and they also have dangers that may They are exposed to it, the types of abuse and how to protect children in the event of abuse. Protection measures are identified, useful and removed from the danger zone. Referring to the basic rights of the child in a permanent law that were represented in the right to life and safety for himself, starting from his birth, naming and preserving his dignity, and the right to the nationality of his country, in addition to basic, family, social, health and educational rights, in addition to the procedures and mechanisms specified by law and the specific penalties for each Infraction. The undersecretary also discussed child safety and protection mechanisms; that the relevant authorities in the UAE have established child protection units; and implemented mechanisms and measures for child protection, in addition to defining the terms of reference of the units, work mechanisms and conditions required in the child protection specialist. The hexagonal map of protection .. Professor Sharif Boushadi, Consultant at the Department of Social Services, presented a preliminary map of an integrated network for childhood protection in the Emirate of Sharjah, which includes a hexagonal map of protection determined by the roles of partners and referral procedures between partners and coordination of roles and responsibilities, at the level of all parties interacting with the child, as this hexagon is represented in the relevant partners who are ; Ministry of Justice, Public Prosecution, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Health, Protection Committees, and Police Entities. This map is the nucleus of a brief guide that supports the protection specialist in all directions, in a specialized technical way that allows them to get acquainted with the child protection procedures in all the situations and violations that it is exposed to. The mechanisms for responding to violence reports, while Amina Al-Rifai, director of the Department of Child Rights Protection in the department, discussed mechanisms and maps for responding to reports of violence or abuse in the partner agencies in the umbrella of child protection, through which she defined the roles of the parties in the case of abuse towards a child, and also touched on the response triangle during reception Communications concerned with child protection starting from the receipt of the communication, the response period, securing rights, and the mechanism for eradicating the impact of abuse through direct intervention from a specialist or child protection unit, followed by the investigation and reservation step against the aggressor from the competent authorities represented in the police station and the public prosecution. A third step. It consists of treatment, diagnosis, and assessment of damage caused by the abuse. Discussing the main points with the specialists. In turn, Jassem Al Hammadi, Director of Knowledge Department in the department, emphasized that this symposium was held under a permanent law, as it is the last legislation enacted by the United Arab Emirates, as the law did not call a small or large law but mentioned it since the child’s registration until he became an adult, as the legislator was not satisfied. Under the provisions of the (Wadima) Law, which was a lifeline for all children residing on the state’s territory to protect them from violence and family neglect and the violence they might face in their surroundings.
