A recent court case concerning the death of a young child has again focused attention on the issue of child abuse within homes in the UAE. The death of a child through physical punishment is not just a domestic matter, it is a concern for the entire community and, ultimately, the legal system. However, the issue has been clouded by considerations of the traditional role of the family in Emirati culture, and concerns about the sanctity of the home.
The torture and subsequent death of an eight-year-old girl named Wadeema by her own father and his girlfriend in 2012 put this issue on the national agenda. This crime shocked the UAE, from the leadership down. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who has been a strong advocate of children's rights, was moved to order the FNC to speed up its work on child-protection legislation.
At the time, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Every child has the right to a secure life, permanent care and emotional and psychological stability. We will be uncompromising with whoever infringes upon the rights of children, for the protection of our children is a protection of our future.”
The courts have played a strong role in getting across the simple message that while parents are entitled to discipline their children, they must do so within the guidelines of the law. Parents do not have the right to beat a child to the point of inflicting life-threatening injuries. Sadly, when a case such as this gets to court, it is often too late for the abused child.
The passage of the Child’s Rights Law last month allows for the authorities to intervene before a child is seriously injured or dies. Under certain circumstances, and with judicial oversight, child-protection specialists can enter a home and remove a child they believe to be at risk.
Of course, no law will automatically change entrenched attitudes, and some people may be concerned that they are somehow being asked to surrender their parental responsibilities or their right to privacy. For that reason, the conversation that began with the death of Wadeema needs to continue and the message made clear that the law is not designed to take away from families, but to give to all children the best chance of a happy, healthy and productive life.
Ensuring that children are safe in their own homes does not diminish the rights of the family, it strengthens society and the nation as a whole.
