UAE: Punitive Measures for Negligent Parents

Faisal Al Shammari, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Child Protection

Association, emphasized that UAE laws, including the Wadeema Law and its recent amendments, emphasize the need to preserve children's right to life, survival, and development, and to provide all necessary opportunities to facilitate this and enjoy a dignified and safe life. These laws also ensure children's right to social care, protect them from violence, neglect, exploitation, and abuse, instill human values ​​in children, and promote a culture of human fraternity.

Faisal Al Shammari, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Child Protection

In a statement to Al-Emarat Al-Youm on the occasion of Emirati Children's Day, which falls on March 15 of each year, he added that UAE laws, including the Wadeema Law and its recent amendments, emphasize the need to preserve children's right to life, survival, and development, and provide all necessary opportunities to facilitate this and enjoy a dignified and safe life. They also ensure children's right to social care, protect them from violence, neglect, exploitation, and abuse, instill human values ​​in children, and promote a culture of human fraternity.

Al-Shammari pointed out that the "Wadeema" Law aims to ensure all aspects of care and protection for children, guaranteeing all their rights related to their right to life and survival, as well as their basic rights, including health, education, and other rights. It also protects children from all forms of neglect, exploitation, and abuse, and protects them from any physical or psychological violence.

Al-Shammari emphasized the importance of the amendments to the "Wadeema" Law in reducing the incidence of neglect to which children are exposed by their parents, ensuring that the child's parents or caregivers are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities towards them, preserving their rights, protecting them from harm and neglect, and guiding and educating them about the dangers of committing crimes, especially cybercrimes or their exploitation through them.

He pointed out that the amendments stipulated four punitive measures against parents who neglect their children. Article (39) of the decree stipulates: "Anyone who violates the provisions of Article (36) of this law shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of no less than one year and a fine of no less than 50,000 dirhams and no more than 100,000 dirhams, or by either of these two penalties." If the act is attributed to the child's parents, one or both of them, or their caregiver, the court may, instead of imposing the penalty stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article, order, for a period it specifies, the imposition of one or more of the following measures:

a. Performing community service.

b. Placement in a therapeutic shelter.

c. Subjection to one or more rehabilitation and guidance programs.

d. Suspension of guardianship over the child, subject to the provisions of applicable laws regarding guardianship over the person.

If the court decides to suspend guardianship, it shall refer the matter to the court competent for personal status matters to appoint a guardian for the child in accordance with the laws in force in the country.