Father fails to register kids in Dubai, lands in court

The 34-year-old father was accused of negligence and abuse towards his kids, aged 12, 11, 10, 6 and 4.

A man, who failed to have official identification documents issued for his five children, will stand trial under the Child's Rights Protection Law (Wadeema Law), a top prosecutor has revealed.
Advocate-General Mohammed Ali Rustom Bu Abdullah, head of the Dubai Family and Juvenile Prosecution, said that the father's case would be dealt with as per the Child's Rights Protection Law (Wadeema Law) : "This Federal Law, which was recently issued by His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, aims at safeguarding the child's rights in all walks of life and throughout his upbringing."
According to Bu Abdullah, the children's mother filed a complaint against their 34-year-old father, accusing him of negligence and abuse towards their kids, aged 12, 11, 10, 6 and 4. The mother told the investigators that her husband did not register their children under his name. The father claimed during the interrogation that his 12-year-old daughter was an illegitimate child and he could not obtain legal documents for her.  He did not register his other kids under his name until he could obtain the necessary papers for his daughter".
Bu Abdullah said that the Wadeema Law was intended for the child's well -being, happiness and best interest so that they grow normally and safely and can cope easily with their surrounding, which would boost their feelings of pride, loyalty and belonging to the country and its leadership
Through the prosecution probe, it was revealed that the man's five children have birth certificates, health cards and attend school. But the father had no job and could not provide for them. He lived with his family in a room in the house of his father- in -law. He was receiving financial aid from Beit al Kheir Society and the Community Development Authority.
The Advocate-General said that the Child's Rights Protection Law guarantees the newborn's right to have a name which does not imply disrespect or degrade his/her dignity and the child has an automatic right to have his/her name put in the newborns' register. He/she is also entitled to be affiliated to his/her legal parents.
- mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai