This is a great step forward by the UAE in protecting children. Please pray that the draft is made law and then enforced.
FNC members endorse draft law whereby child sexual abusers may face 10 years’ jail
Abu Dhabi: Members of the Federal National Council approved 52 of the 77-article new draft law on child rights and will continue reviewing the remaining articles on Wednesday.
Under the draft law, child abusers and viewers of child sex images on the web will face tough penalties in the UAE, under a new draft law on child rights, the Federal National Council heard yesterday.
The bill will impose tough penalties, especially in cases of abuse by persons in a position of trust, authority or influence over the child including family members, guardians or teachers or abuse of particularly vulnerable children, mainly those with a physical or mental disability.
The law states that abusers who exploit children in filming pornographic materials, production, publishing, distribution or facilitating access to these pornographic materials by any means will face a minimum jail term of 10 years.
The same penalty will be handed to abusers who are in a position of trust, authority or influence over the child, including family members, guardians or teachers and persons who exploit children in online grooming and sex tourism, both free of charge or in return for money.
Studies estimated that approximately one in six boys and one in four girls is sexually abused before the age of 18, said Mary John, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dubai Community Health Centre.
“Most mental health and child protection professionals agree that child sexual abuse is not uncommon and is becoming a serious problem,” she said. Should be, "has become a serious problem".
The draft law to protect children, initially called Wudeema’s Law — in memory of the eight-year-old girl who was starved and tortured to death by her father and his girlfriend — will now be known as the Law on Child Rights, after Federal National Council members voted by a massive majority to change the name.
Wadeema's story can be read at http://northwoodsministries.blogspot.ca/2014/01/uae-dad-tortures-daughter-to-death-in.html
The draft law states that possessing child pornography material, regardless of the intent of distribution, uploading or downloading of these materials via the Internet or through any other media means will be penalised with a minimum jail term of a year, or a fine of not less than Dh100,000 ($2700 usd) and not more than Dh400,000 ($10,900 usd) or both.
Studies suggest that between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of minors in Europe may be sexually assaulted during childhood. The number of web sites devoted to child pornography is growing and it is estimated that 200 images containing child pornography are put into circulation every day.
Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, told the council the law provides for seven basic rights, including the right of empowerment and the right to protection in keeping with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the UAE became a signatory in 1996.
The new draft law covers all aspects related to children’s rights and contains instruments that ensure its implementation, as well as punishments that will penalise people whose morals and religious beliefs do not stop them from violating the rights of children. The government also underlined its commitment to meet those basic needs and rights in the best ways.
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, a member from Abu Dhab, requested that the draft law protect the best interests of children, and the request was endorsed by the FNC.
The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration and the child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents, according to the law.
Under the legislation, children have the right to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. It also provides, among other rights, for economic, social and cultural rights, related to the conditions necessary to meet basic human needs such as food, shelter, education and health care.
Children also have the right to grow up and to develop physically and spiritually in a healthy and normal way, free and with dignity.
FNC members endorse draft law whereby child sexual abusers may face 10 years’ jail
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| Dr Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, FNC member from Abu Dhabi, at the Federal National Council session at the FNC headquarters in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday |
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| Abu Dhabi |
The bill will impose tough penalties, especially in cases of abuse by persons in a position of trust, authority or influence over the child including family members, guardians or teachers or abuse of particularly vulnerable children, mainly those with a physical or mental disability.
The law states that abusers who exploit children in filming pornographic materials, production, publishing, distribution or facilitating access to these pornographic materials by any means will face a minimum jail term of 10 years.
The same penalty will be handed to abusers who are in a position of trust, authority or influence over the child, including family members, guardians or teachers and persons who exploit children in online grooming and sex tourism, both free of charge or in return for money.
Studies estimated that approximately one in six boys and one in four girls is sexually abused before the age of 18, said Mary John, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dubai Community Health Centre.
“Most mental health and child protection professionals agree that child sexual abuse is not uncommon and is becoming a serious problem,” she said. Should be, "has become a serious problem".
The draft law to protect children, initially called Wudeema’s Law — in memory of the eight-year-old girl who was starved and tortured to death by her father and his girlfriend — will now be known as the Law on Child Rights, after Federal National Council members voted by a massive majority to change the name.
Wadeema's story can be read at http://northwoodsministries.blogspot.ca/2014/01/uae-dad-tortures-daughter-to-death-in.html
Studies suggest that between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of minors in Europe may be sexually assaulted during childhood. The number of web sites devoted to child pornography is growing and it is estimated that 200 images containing child pornography are put into circulation every day.
Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs, told the council the law provides for seven basic rights, including the right of empowerment and the right to protection in keeping with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the UAE became a signatory in 1996.
The new draft law covers all aspects related to children’s rights and contains instruments that ensure its implementation, as well as punishments that will penalise people whose morals and religious beliefs do not stop them from violating the rights of children. The government also underlined its commitment to meet those basic needs and rights in the best ways.
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, a member from Abu Dhab, requested that the draft law protect the best interests of children, and the request was endorsed by the FNC.
The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration and the child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name and the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents, according to the law.
Under the legislation, children have the right to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. It also provides, among other rights, for economic, social and cultural rights, related to the conditions necessary to meet basic human needs such as food, shelter, education and health care.
Children also have the right to grow up and to develop physically and spiritually in a healthy and normal way, free and with dignity.
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