Children’s law is a step in the right direction

The legislation to protect vulnerable family members from abuse must be enforced wisely

The shadow of a child throwing paint at all during a workshop during the ART FOR ALL Community Week at Khalifa Park in Abu Dhabi. Jake Badger / The National

Safeguarding and protecting the most vulnerable members of society is essential. And, after years of review and discussion, the Children’s Rights Law, previously known as Wadeema’s Law, has been issued by the President, Sheikh Khalifa. Having this law in place sends a clear message to parents and other caregivers that the safety of children is a public concern.

We all remember the tragic case of the eight-year-old Emirati girl, Wadeema, who was tortured for months and eventually murdered by her father and his girlfriend in 2012. Her death shocked the country and prompted calls for a comprehensive law to protect children from neglect or any other type of abuse: psychological, physical or sexual.

Enactment of the law should act as a reminder that all accusations of child abuse, or practices that may affect children’s welfare, should be taken seriously and be investigated appropriately. The law must be implemented at all levels. Children have the right to be safe at home, in and on the way to school, and everywhere else.

An important article in the law gives social workers the right to intervene to save a child from neglect or abuse. They will be empowered to enter homes, to mediate between parents and children, offer parents advice on how to prevent a child from misbehaving and, if needed, to enrol a child in treatment programmes. They will also have the right to remove a child from a home if that child is in imminent danger. This may seem controversial in a culture where discipline and household management have largely been left to the families themselves. The law is sending a message that the welfare of a child is not a private matter, it is the business of the wider community and, in some cases, of the authorities. Parents, teachers and anyone who deals with children must know what constitutes abuse and what the consequences of abusive behaviour could be.

Enforcing the law must be done sensitively. We do not want to see a situation that has existed in some countries, most notably the United Kingdom, where social workers have overstepped their authority, with irreparable damage done to some families. Social workers must be empowered to protect children, but they must perform their job professionally and sensitively. The first step has already been taken. The tragedy that befell Wadeema must never be repeated.