FNC member champions domestic violence laws

Ali Jassim, a Federal National Council member from Umm Al Quwain, addressed the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Hanoi this week.

Ali Jassim, veteran Federal National Council member for UAQ, was in the capital of Vietnam to advance the UAE’s case for improved protection for women and children. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
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ABU DHABI // The UAE has called for a law to protect women and children.

Addressing the democracy and human rights committee at the Inter-Parliamentary Union this week in Hanoi, Vietnam, Ali Jassim (UAQ), the longest-serving member on the Federal National Council, stressed the need to tackle the issue of domestic violence worldwide, Wam, the state news agency, reported.

He said the UAE’s leadership focused on women’s and children’s issues in many fields, including health and social services.

Mr Jassim, chairman of the FNC’s human rights committee, has pushed for the same law in the UAE.

After speaking with a number of government bodies, he said women and children needed a law to protect them from all forms of violence at home.

The proposal has yet to make its way to the 40-member council. It will need a majority vote before it can be passed to the Cabinet for consideration. During the Hanoi meeting, Mr Jassim also stressed the “importance of strengthening the collective and individual security system and more democracy in the international community”, including the UN Security Council, to ensure greater legitimacy for its decisions.

He called for reforms at the UN in general, especially in dealing with major humanitarian disaster mechanisms.

The member highlighted the UAE’s humanitarian work in Asia and Africa and the Emirates Red Crescent’s role.

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