Committee to manage Kanaf child protection centre

A higher committee has been established to steer Kanaf, a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary, multi-agency child protection centre that provides legal, psychological, social support to child victims of physical and sexual abuse.

As per the directive of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), Hanadi Al Yafei, Director of the Child Safety Department (CSD), will head the Higher Committee. 

It will ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and bring together Sharjah's specialised entities under one umbrella. 
Kanaf will utilise local expertise and build on the strengths of the child-protection legislative ecosystem in Sharjah and the UAE.

The CSD Director said that the directive to establish Kanaf's Higher Committee paves the way for the start of the official launch phase of the project. Global child protection models have been studied and developed Kanaf in alignment with the culture and values of the Emirati community. 

The entity will provide comprehensive protection to children who experience any form of abuse.

Following the announcement of the Kanaf project in 2020, CSD organised several meetings and workshops with partners of the first phase of the project to streamline the processes of providing a wide range of care and protection services to children under Kanaf. 
The meetings also outlined strategies for concerned authorities to communicate with both families and children in line with its integrated protection and follow-up procedures.  

Other members of the committee include; Counselor Anwar Amin Al Harmoudi, Head of Sharjah Public Prosecution; Dr. Mohamed Obaid Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Sharjah Federal Court of First Instance; Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police; and Afaf Ibrahim Al Marri, Head of the Sharjah Social Services Department.

The Higher Committee also includes Dr. Fatima Muhammad Al Khumairi, Head of Forensic Medicine Department at the Ministry of Justice; Dr. Safia Al Khaja, Director of Al Qassimi Women's and Children's Hospital; Modhi Al Shamsi, Chairperson of the Department of Family Development Centres; and Dr. Hessa Al Kaabi, Head of the Child Protection Unit at Emirates Schools Establishment.