SHARJAH // Another baby has been found abandoned in the emirate – the eighth this year.
The latest, a girl, was found wrapped in fabric on the ground at Al Buhaira Corniche on Monday. The healthy newborn was taken to Al Qassimi Hospital.
Although the reasons for abandonment vary, experts say the penalties involved in having sex outside of marriage is a factor.
A spokesman for Al Qassimi Hospital said that the last seven babies had been referred to the Social Welfare Home.
The hospital added that it had dealt with four cases of abandoned infants in the past few weeks. Each of them was found in different areas of the emirate.
Sharjah is the only emirate apart from Abu Dhabi to have a dedicated centre – the Sharjah Children’s Care Centre – that cares for abandoned children. It looks after children until they are either adopted by Emiratis and given citizenship, or turn 18.
Recently, community leaders have voiced concerns over the rising number of babies being abandoned by unmarried mothers.
Melca Perez, who chairs the Filipino women’s rights group Gabriela, said there should be more education so people were aware of the laws.
Emirati lawyer Yousif Al Bahar called for tougher laws to deter people from having sex outside of wedlock.
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