Dubai launches campaign to protect children from abuse

Initiative tackles causes of child abuse and encourages positive parenting

Dubai Foundation for Women and Children has started its annual awareness campaign to protect children from abuse.

The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children launched its annual initiative to prevent child abuse.

The Protect Childhood campaign, sponsored by the UAE’s Ministry of Interior, is in its 11th year and will run until the end of the month.

The awareness campaign aims to ensure children do not become victims of violence.

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This year's theme, "Don't parent with your ego", focuses on emotional abuse inflicted by a parent or a caretaker and how that affects a child's self-esteem.

The initiative promotes conscious and positive parenting where families are encouraged to accept and love their children for who they are.

Sheikha Al Mansouri, acting director general of Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, said: "The main purpose of the awareness campaigns is to limit and reduce the number of violence victims and tackle the reasons behind it, which can be cultural, psychological or social.

"We, as a foundation, are focusing on empowering the awareness and cultural movement within the society, by bringing together people from different segments, and help to adopt the best practices that ... grant our children their dreams and ambitions.

“This can only be achieved by nurturing and supporting them with everything that can help to build their confidence back, and their ability to express, and initiate."

She spoke of the importance of the concerted efforts between organisations and people in the UAE to protect children.

Last year, Dubai launched a 24-hour phone line to help people report cases of child abuse.

In 2016, the UAE approved Child Protection Law 3, widely known as Wadeema's law. To mark this, the UAE celebrates Emirati Children's Day on March 15 every year.

The legislation protects the rights of children and safeguards them from abuse.