New video highlights UAE penalties for child cruelty

The UAE Public Prosecution has posted a new video on social media highlighting the penalties faced by perpetrators of child cruelty.

Violators of the federal laws will be detained and ordered to pay fines starting from AED 50,000.

The laws prohibit anyone from exposing children to torture, violating their physical integrity or committing any act involving cruelty.

يحظر تعريض الطفل للتعذيب أو الاعتداء على سلامته البدنية أو إتيان أي عمل ينطوي على القسوة من شأنه التأثير على توازن الطفل العاطفي أو النفسي أو العقلي أو الأخلاقي#يوم_الطفل_الإماراتي #emiratichildrensday#الامارات #uae #قانون #ثقف_نفسك #ثقافة_قانونية #خلك_حكيم pic.twitter.com/TdRUWUg62O

— النيابة العامة (@UAE_PP) March 15, 2021

In addition, the Department of Community Development (DCD) in Abu Dhabi has announced the formation of the "Family and Child Protection Committee" to address their concerns and review existing systems.

The announcement coincided with the "Emirati Children’s Day," marked on March 15.

"The new initiative aims to help the department jointly work with relevant authorities to review the current family and child protection system, identify the required enablers to boost the effectiveness, quality and efficiency of this system and strengthen coordination between all the concerned parties to make necessary recommendations related to the urgent and serious social causes," said Dr. Bushra Al Mulla, Executive Director of Community Development Sector at the DCD and Head of Family and Child Protection Committee.

She added that the committee’s tasks include conducting a comprehensive periodic evaluation of Abu Dhabi’s family and child protection system; identifying all measures taken to support this system; analysing current gaps, weaknesses, and challenges, and developing recommendations.

It will also be responsible for reviewing social cases in the emirate and discussing social trends to promote via public and media awareness campaigns.

The committee will create action plans and submit proposals focused on ways to improve the existing family and child protection frameworks.

In addition, it will prepare annual reports that include recommendations on how to improve the processes in social case management and how to address the most serious, sensitive and complex situations.