UAE: Report child bullying, guidelines from authorities
The nation’s authorities have established protocols for parents and schools to follow if they become aware of child bullying.
Is your kid a victim of bullying at school? If this is the case, there are many steps that students and guardians can take in the UAE.
The nation’s authorities have guided parents and schools on what to do in such situations.
What falls under the child bullying category?
The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood defines bullying as the intentional use of force over time to cause harm to someone incapable of defending themselves.
This can take on various forms, including:
Verbal:
Calls, anonymous emails, name-calling, harsh criticism, spreading rumours, and cursing
Physical:
Hitting, kicking, hurling objects, stealing and concealing property
Suggestions:
Staring threats, inconsiderate actions, deliberate neglect or estrangement, and menacing gestures
Social:
Working together to harm someone or convincing others to dislike someone
Symptoms of bullying
If you suspect that your child is being bullied, keep an eye out for the following signs:
physical indicators
Unfairly sustained cuts, bruises, or torn clothes or property.
Lack of motivation or fear of attending school, anxiety when riding the school bus, requesting that adults drop them off at school, poor academic performance, coming home from school extremely hungry (for fear that money would be taken away), whining about losing their belongings, and requesting more lunch money (to give the bully) are all examples of avoidance behaviour.
alterations in social behaviour
growing closer to a select group of friends, showing less interest in going out, and cutting back on regular buddy meetings.
Sensitive signs
symptoms of suffering, discontent, loneliness, melancholy, stuttering, and suicidal thoughts.
Unsettling behaviours include:
feeling tense and unhappy; not eating enough; overeating; having trouble falling asleep; having nightmares; weeping while you sleep; wetting the bed; and being reluctant to discuss what is going on.
Health indications include:
persistent illnesses, low immunity to infection, low performance, threat or suicide attempt, and general stress.
Symptoms of psychosomatic illness:
headache, mouth ulcers, stomach pain, and indecisive pain
How can parents help?
The following are some strategies you can implement to assist your child in managing the situation:
- Make an effort to promote open communication with your child by speaking with them and giving them your full attention.
- To handle this circumstance, come up with a fair strategy. Don’t let them manage things alone; instead, refrain from getting too engaged and insisting on keeping them at home.
- Avoid pressing for specifics when conversing with your child. Ensure you listen intently and participate in the discussion without pushing them too much.
- You should also determine whether or not the school should be involved. This may depend on the intensity of the bullying, the child’s coping mechanisms, and the willingness of the student to speak with the school.
- Make sure you accurately describe the incident if you do involve the school so that it can take the necessary steps.
You can report bullying by contacting the Ministry of Education’s Child Protection Unit or by calling 80085.
Role of the government
By upholding laws that protect children’s rights, the UAE safeguards children. Committees are in place to monitor their welfare and channels for reporting abuse.
Report child abuse
The ‘Hemayati’ (Arabic for “protect me”) app (available on Android and iOS), the MoI’s Child Protection Center website, the hotline number 116111, and other channels are all ways that you can report child abuse to the MoI.
Additional 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: 800 himaya (800446292)
- Aman Centre for Women and Children through RAK Police – 07-2356666
Notifying authorities about child bullying
To alert the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination about the abuse of children of determination in Abu Dhabi, utilise the following method:
email address: [email protected]
hotline and WhatsApp number: 054-2003366.
Children’s safety
the “Child Protection Unit”
For the benefit of students at public and private schools throughout the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has started the “Child Protection Unit” program. The initiative’s goals are to keep kids secure in terms of their physical, mental, and educational well-being as well as to shield them from any kind of abuse, neglect, and damage that they might encounter at home or school.
Call the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Center at 116111 or the MoE’s Child Protection Unit at 80085 to report a case of child abuse. Alternatively, send an email with the report and any supporting documentation to [email protected].
Committee and centre for child protection , child bullying
To take on the role of creating, putting into practice, and customising the initiatives and processes aimed at providing safety, security, and protection for all children living in the UAE or even those arriving as guests, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) founded the MoI’s Child Protection Center in 2011 and the Higher Committee for Child Protection in 2009. Because securing justice and safeguarding children is a shared obligation, the committee is essential to preserving children’s safety.
Using the Nedaa service to locate missing kids
Facebook users nearby who hear reports of a missing child are alerted via the Nedaa service.
Following notification from the appropriate authorities that a child has vanished in a certain area, the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Center promptly notifies Facebook members in that area with the missing child’s basic details. The Middle East’s first of its kind is the Nedaa service.
Department of Child Safety, Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Sharjah
Raising community awareness of the value of children’s safety and their right to be shielded from abuse, neglect, and exploitation is the goal of the Child Safety Department (CSD) of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) in Sharjah. CSD collaborates with strategic partners and appropriate authorities to design and carry out projects and activities, as well as to develop national policies, to achieve its objectives.
awareness campaign for child bullying
‘Together to Prevent Child Abuse’ is the name of an awareness campaign that was started to educate parents, schools, and the community about the different types of child abuse and how to prevent them through seminars, courses, and media campaigns.
Hotlines
Students can get in direct contact with the Ministry of Education about any matter that could impact their education by calling the hotline at 80051115. The helpline is supervised by education specialists.
prohibiting physical abuse and child bullying
The Ministry of Education should build respect for one another between educators and learners, promote contemporary teaching strategies, and outlaw behaviour that is against UAE traditions and customs, including the use of force.
safer travelling
Numerous nationwide programs were introduced to provide secure transportation for children. Among them are:
DTC greets the start of the school year with smart buses—WAM
Anti-bullying , child bullying
To help schools deal with student bullying, the “Addressing Bullying in Schools: Training Manual” (PDF, 242 MB) has been created. Its goal is to give schools the tools they need to teach children about bullying and give them the attitudes and social skills that will make bullying much less likely. It also discusses what to do when teachers, school counsellors, social workers, and parents see bullying and provides them with helpful advice based on studies on bullying prevention and intervention.
The Anti-Bullying Guide for Parents was released in Abu Dhabi by the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood of the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Education and Knowledge. Parents can use this guide to determine whether their child is bullying others or if they are the bully and how to put an end to it.
Please call the Ministry of Education’s Child Protection Unit at 80085 to report an incident of bullying.
Children’s rights , child bullying
Wadeema’s Law also known as Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 concerning child rights, emphasises that all children must be given equal opportunities in essential services and facilities, as well as appropriate living standards, access to health care, education, and other opportunities without facing any form of discrimination. Children are shielded by the law from abuse on all fronts, including physical and psychological harm, exploitation, and neglect.
Furthermore, it is illegal for anyone to smoke within establishments that house minors as well as in private or public automobiles. Lawbreakers will face the consequences outlined in the legislation.
In situations of immediate danger, the law permits daycare providers to take children out of their homes against the will of the parents and without a judge’s approval. In less serious situations, professionals might step in and see the child regularly, offer social assistance, and mediate a resolution between the child and the family.
A prison sentence, a fine, or both may be imposed on those who endanger children, abandon them, neglect them, leave them unattended, fail to register them at birth or fail to enrol them in school. All minors up to the age of eighteen are covered by the statute.
Child Digital Safety , child bullying
To educate kids and school children about online risks and challenges and to encourage safe and responsible internet use, the Ministry of Interior and the National Programme for Happiness and Wellbeing jointly launched the “Child Digital Safety” initiative in March 2018.
The program also provides parents and teachers with information on strategies for resolving these issues and guaranteeing the security of their kids and pupils. It entails creating educational resources on digital safety, introducing kids to international best practices in that area, and giving parents and educators guidance on how to improve kids’ digital safety at home and in the classroom.
Four smaller projects to improve kids’ online safety
There are four primary sub-initiatives within this initiative. They are as follows:
- Children aged 5 to 18 can learn safe internet and social media usage techniques at the Interactive Children’s Camp.
- The Digital Wellbeing Portal offers resources and guidance to assist parents in navigating the obstacles of the digital age.
- programs where educators and parents can learn how to deal with threats and challenges posed by the internet,
- support system where parents may ask urgent questions about being safe online.
