Sharjah 24: Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD) revealed that it received more than 110 legal consultations during the last quarter (October-December) of the year 2021, through 800700 number, which means more than one consultation per day. Most of the legal consultation are related to Personal Status Law No. 28 of 2005, related to women’s issues, such as alimony and how to apply for family guidance, divorce, custody, divorce and other issues related to family affairs.

According to the legal affairs office in the department, the number of calls was high compared to previous years, not because of the rise in family problems, but because of the spread and promotion of the 800700 line, which made people know that there is legal advice at the department, free of charge, while preserving the caller confidentiality. 
The department explains that women make the largest proportion of callers, due to the educational renaissance followed by the UAE, concerned with educating women and gave them a cultural dimension in terms of their duties and rights.

With regard to the Emirate of Sharjah, it was the first emirate to launch a family court, and the first emirate to establish child protection centres and child education centres, and hosted the first parliament for children in the Arab world, the first emirate in the Gulf region that established the Child Care Law No. 9 in 1985, updated in 2006, with Law No. 3 regarding the care of children deprived of social care and then the Social Welfare Law in 2020.

The Legal Affairs Office provides legal support in matters related to laws, decisions, agreements and regulations of the department, and provides legal advice through the department’s toll-free line and follows up on the lawsuits in which the department is a party.

Among the tasks, the department is reviewing administrative contracts, maintenance contracts, following up on the completion of work on relevant draft laws with other parties, and legal education for the department’s employees and those dealing with it so that they enjoy a legal culture so that the employee is aware of his rights and legal duties. The administration also includes the Legislative Committee, the Grievances and Complaints Committee, and the Social Assistance Committee.

Due to its long history, Sharjah Social Services Department is considered a social school because of its social and functional experiences, working on the participation and support of other bodies working in the same field.