Report child abuse

You can report child abuse to MoI through the hotline number 116111 or through the MoI’s Child Protection Centre's website and the 'Hemayati' (Arabic for protect me) app (available on Android and iOS).

Other  channels:

• Community Development Authority- CDA on hotline: 800988
• EWAA Shelter for Women and Children on hotline: 8007283
• Dubai Foundation for Women and Children on 800111
• Child protection centre in Sharjah on toll-free helpline number 800 700
• Hemaya Foundation for Children and Women - Ajman on hotline: 800himaya (800446292)
• Aman Centre for Women and Children through RAK Police – 07-2356666

Contact Ministry of Education on hotline: 80051115 for any issues that affect the students' learning process negatively.

Report domestic violence through one of these channels on the website of the Ministry of Community Development.

Children's safety

The ‘Child Protection Unit’ initiative

Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched a ‘Child Protection Unit’ initiative for the benefit of students of government and private schools across the UAE. The initiative is aimed at protecting children from all forms of harm, negligence and abuse which they may experience at school or home and maintaining their safety with regard to their physical, psychological and educational aspects.

 To report child abuse case, call either the MoE’s Child Protection Unit on their dedicated number 80085 or the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Centre on 116111 or email the report to [email protected] with supporting documents, if any.

 Read more on the ‘Child Protection Unit’ initiative.

Child protection committee and centre

Ministry of Interior (MoI) established the Higher Committee for Child Protection in 2009 and the MoI’s Child Protection Centre in 2011 to undertake the role of developing, implementing and customising the initiatives and processes aiming at providing safety, security and protection for all children living in the UAE or even those coming as visitors. The committee plays a key role in maintaining the safety of children, because achieving justice and protection for children is a shared responsibility.

Useful links:

• Dimensions of child protection - MoI

Child Safety Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs-Sharjah

The Child Safety Department (CSD) of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) in Sharjah aims to raise community awareness about the importance of children’s safety and their right to be protected from negligence, harm and exploitation. CSD works towards achieving its goals by developing national policies, designing and implementing initiatives and activities in collaboration with strategic partners and competent authorities. Read about CSD’s activities and initiatives to raise community awareness about children’s safety.

Follow CSD social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram.

Awareness campaign

An awareness campaign under the name 'Together to Prevent Child Abuse' was launched to raise community awareness and educate parents and teachers through seminars, courses and a media campaign about the various forms of child abuse and the ways to prevent it.

Useful links:

• Abu Dhabi child abuse awareness campaign launched - The National

Hotlines

Schoolchildren can use the hotline number 80051115 to communicate directly with Ministry of Education regarding any issue that may affect their learning process. Education specialists supervise the hotline.

Banning corporal punishment

Ministry of Education aims to establish mutual respect between teachers and students, to support modern educational methods and banning corporal punishment and behaviour that are contrary to the UAE's traditions and customs.

Safe transportation

Several initiatives were launched across the country to ensure a safe transportation for students. These include:

• RTA bans minibuses for school children- Khaleej Times
• DTC welcomes new academic year with smart buses- WAM

Anti-bullying

The UAE’s Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood in cooperation with UNICEF, Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi launched the Guide for parents on anti-bullying (PDF, 120 KB). This guide will help parents identify if their child is a victim of bullying, or if he is bullying others and what can be done to stop it.

Read about student code of conduct.

Also, read about combatting human trafficking in the UAE.

Children's rights

Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 concerning child rights, also known as Wadeema's Law (PDF, 250 KB), stresses that all children must be provided with appropriate living standards, access to health services, education, equal opportunities in essential services and facilities without any kind of discrimination. The law protects children against all forms of negligence, exploitation, physical and psychological abuses.

In addition, smoking in public and private vehicles and indoor facilities where children are present is also prohibited under the law. Violators will be subject to penalties as set out by the law.

The law allows childcare specialists to remove children from their homes against parents' wishes and without judicial permission in cases of imminent danger. In less severe cases, specialists may intervene by visiting the child regularly, providing social services and mediating a solution between the family and the child.

Those who put children in danger, abandon them, neglect them, leave them without supervision, do not enroll them in school or register them upon their birth will be subject to a prison sentence or a fine or both. The law applies to all children up to the age of 18.

Child Digital Safety

Read about the Child Digital Safety initiative.

Source: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-the-law/children-safety