Children Safety Laws in UAE

Child rights are an integral part of human rights. With other countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also ensures protecting the rights of children in the country. The Children Safety Laws in the UAE are implemented to keep children away from exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Additionally, these laws also are implemented on child’s daily life, including healthcare, education and safety on internet. Those laws are implemented all over the UAE and seven emirates.

The children’s laws in the UAE are not restricted to one law, but child rights are protected at a large scale:

• Wadeema’s Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016)

The UAE Child Rights Law is also known as Wadeema’s Law. Under this law, the children are protected in the UAE. The law ensures the right to education, the right to have a safe environment, and the right to live a healthy life in the UAE. However, any kind of child abuse is considered a criminal offense under Wadeema’s Law. Consequently, child labour is prevented through these laws. The penalties for violating child rights are severe in the UAE, leading to heavy financial penalties and imprisonment.

• Cybercrime Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021)

The digital experience in the UAE has been challenging as teenagers are spending most of their time on social media. Some of them are also exploited on various digital platforms. They are also the victims of cyber threats. However, parents should teach children about their rights and how they can stay away from cyber threats, online. Moreover, the UAE Cybercrime Law protects individuals from cyber harassment, including bullying. The reporting mechanisms are also introduced to parents and in schools, ensuring that children feel safe in the digital space.

• Juvenile Justice Law (Federal Law No. 9 of 1976, Amended in 2022)

The crime rate is very low in the UAE. Still, the criminal laws are strengthened to ensure a safe country for everyone. The Juvenile Justice Law is applied to juveniles in the UAE. The penalty for young children is not imprisonment, but they are sent to rehabilitation centres. There are special juvenile courts that ensure no child is harmed during the court cases. It is believed that juveniles need reformation more than severe punishments because they are still developing in their personal space.

• UAE Labour Law and Child Employment Restrictions

A child is not allowed to work unless they turn 15 years old. According to the UAE Child Labour Law, the working hours for a 15-year-old child is six hours a day. However, they are prohibited from working in hazardous industries. Without the permission of the parents, no one can hire a child at work. Anyone violating the child labour laws in the UAE will face severe consequences and legal repercussions.

• Family Protection Law (Federal Law No. 10 of 2019)

The Family Protection Law ensures the safety of every child from domestic abuse. The law defines abuse as harm in any way, such as physical harm or mental torture. The abusive parents can be penalised under the family protection law. Some helplines help report mechanisms. There are rehabilitation sessions that children can take to keep them safe from emotional and physical abuse.

The UAE government ensures that children are studying in a safe environment. Therefore, the schools strictly monitor the activities of children during school timings. A school with a bullying-free environment and emergency plans is successful in the UAE. Moreover, the teachers should also be monitored throughout their tenure.

The transportation system is efficient in the UAE. However, to keep children safe during rush hours and at all times, the UAE government has strictly asked school buses to have seat belts and not exceed the speed limit more than the traffic allows. Also, the bus drivers are also hired as per their previous experience. Children under 10 years old are not allowed to sit in the front seat, whether they are with parents or drivers.

The play areas are supervised by the relevant authorities, ensuring children have a safe and fun environment in the park. Some amusement parks have supervised entry, ensuring the safety of children. However, crowd is also maintained in those areas to avoid unfortunate events.

The UAE government has made children’s laws to protect every child in the UAE. However, the parents also play an important part in their children’s lives. They are obligated to provide a safe environment and adequate education along with healthcare. Nonetheless, they should also keep an eye on the child’s activities, especially when they are using digital media. Additionally, the parents should not be abusive towards their children, as it can lead them to penalties.

The lawyers in Dubai have various legal capabilities. Dubai lawyers working for children are helpful to families, and schools and even they can help the children individually. The legal consultants for child safety in Dubai have created child protection laws, which help them in reporting child abuse cases and provide justice to those children. However, child safety cases also include cases of child labor, for which employers are penalized.

Child custody cases are resolved under children’s laws in the UAE. Under custody cases, the laws for child ensure their healthy mental, emotional, and physical state. The legal consultants in Dubai are well-versed in child rights and laws from all aspects of life. The Wadeema Law is specified to protect children. Additionally, the digital rights are also ensured under the cybercrime laws.

If you are an expat and worried about your child’s rights, then you must seek legal advice from Dubai lawyers. They will help you in managing safety for your child, whether it is related to education or digital platforms. However, as parents, you must also understand your responsibilities to bring a child into a safe environment.
In recent years, the UAE has been working efficiently on child protection, demonstrating a country for everyone’s well-being.