Wadeema’s Law Done by Ibtisam Mohammed

Introduction * Child Abuse can take many forms. Common forms of child abuse include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. * A child is being physically abused when they are hit with a belt, pinched, burned, bitten,knocked, choked, kicked hard to leave a marks that does not go. * Also a child is being sexually abused when one person shows a child nude pictures, touch the private parts in a child or takes pictures of the child without clothes.

* A child is being emotionally abused when their parents tell them that they are worthless, striped, wish the child had never born, not good enough, cannot do anything good or right and always make mistakes. * A child is neglected when their parents leave them without food, medical care and home alone.

Wadeema’s law * HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum passes “Wadeema Law” in It is a new child protection legislation named after a victim of abuse. * 'Wadeema Law' - named after an eight-year-old girl who is believed to have been tortured to death. * The eight-year-old Wadeema died after months of physical abuse. Her father and his lover are accused of torturing and killing her and also abusing her seven-year-old sister. * The legislation includes 72 articles which cover all children's rights guaranteed by international conventions.

Sheikh Mohammed said : “Every child has the right to a secure life, permanent care and emotional and psychological stability. We will be uncompromising with whoever infringes upon the rights of children, for the protection of our children is a protection of our future”.

* The child-protection law has come under fire from some parents who say it could deter guardians from disciplining their children. * Wadeema’s law intended to protect children from all kinds of abuse and neglect. * The law made specific provision to give the country's 300 licensed nurseries and their staff responsibility for preventing and reporting abuse. * The law does not clash with sharia, social norms, or international agreements.

The problems * The problem in Wadeema law is how to report cases. In the West, neighbours or teachers often come forward. * But in our culture, where people have extended roots here and they know each other and that will be a challenge”. * Other problems arise at the stage when authorities would intervene. Government intervention is a big problem. * They can't accept that somebody from the authorities would come and take the child away. * Families said “Are we no longer allowed to discipline our children?"