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Children’s panel to develop training programmes

Abu Dhabi - The Ministry of Interior’s Higher Committee for Protection of Children will develop comprehensive, coherent training, professional and academic programmes for fighting sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

While giving directives in that respect to the awareness, media and research arm of the Committee, Major General Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said there is a need for educational and awareness programmes targeting children and be infused into the school syllabus given the nature of each level.

Al Nuaimi, who chairs the Committee, added that specialised awareness programmes will also be tailored to target guardians and educators alike.

The top MoI official acknowledged the critical role the media can play in delivering the message and vision of the Committee.

He explained that the Committee will work with the media organs to raise awareness of family members and children in particular about the risks and challenges they could face in the ICT-driven community.

As part of the Committee’s plan, Al Nuaimi highlighted the importance of convening scientific, topical conferences, conducting specialised studies and researches and communicating with research centres within the UAE and overseas.

He cited the determination of HH Lt.General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to provide whatever achieves the goals of the country’s higher leadership in maintaining the security and safety of the local community.

He added that Shaikh Saif’s directives highlight the importance of making the UAE a world centre of excellence in protection of children.

Towards assuming its mandate, the Committee will mull an idea of creating a child protection centre that handles all child-related crimes and phenomena instigating children exploitation and find out creative solutions and initiative to eradicate them.

While discharging its duties, the Committee will reach out to government and non-government agencies, specialised organisations for children protection and international police community to gain access to the international best practices.

Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children are among the worst forms of violence against children and have long-lasting damaging consequences for the young victims.

The prime objective of panel is to protect children against any form of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

The sexual exploitation of children, in particular child pornography and prostitution, and all forms of sexual abuse of children are destructive to children’s health and psycho-social development;

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