Sharjah24: Under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness, the Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), the second edition of the Child Safety Forum is taking place on Wednesday, November 17, under the theme, ‘Keep their innocence’ at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, Sharjah.
Organised by the Child Safety Department (CSD), an affiliate of the SCFA, the forum will analyse malpractices that lead to the abuse of children’s innocence and define joint responsibilities and mechanisms to ensure that their protection against such abuse and overall wellbeing are maximised.
The Child Safety Forum will convene a host of experts and officials from several local and federal entities to lead discussions at two main sessions to formulate recommendations and assist decision makers and institutions in the field of childcare. The forum aligns with the UAE’s vision to ensure social stability in the community through the support of institutions mandated to provide care for all segments of society.
Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, CSD Director, said: “The second edition of the Child Safety Forum brings together experts, specialists and officials from various federal and local government agencies to provide a stronger and more collaborative approach to child protection and welfare. Child abuse is a complex, multi-layered social problem and discussions held at the forum under the theme, “Keep their innocence”, will address the physical, psychological and social impact of child abuse.”
Al Yafei added: “Protecting children from abuse is a responsibility shared by parents, the community, and the concerned official authorities. A change in modern lifestyles with the growing shift to an online landscape has led to the emergence of new types of abuse. We must intensify efforts to identify and build better understanding of child exploitation online to protect our children from its dangers. The forum aims to ensure the safety of children, both online and offline, and will serve as a platform to boost awareness, especially amongst children and youth, on all forms of harm, negligence, and abuse.”
The inaugural edition of the Child Safety Forum held in 2019, under the theme “Responsible Media … Safe Child”, presented a strong set of recommendations for building a more socially-driven and collaborative approach to creating community awareness among various stakeholders who have a responsibility towards ensuring child safety. The forum discussed the role of UAE’s media in protecting children’s rights when reporting children’s cases.
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