Authorities in Sharjah dealt with more than 2,000 reports involving children who were subjected to physical abuse, abandonment or neglect in the first six months of this year ― almost the total number of cases reported in all of 2021.
Figures requested exclusively by The National show that last year, authorities received 2,168 reports from people concerned about the welfare of a child. From January to the end of June in 2022, 2,038 cases have already been reported.
The surge in number is a sign of people’s stronger awareness about their role in protecting children even if they are not related to them
Amina Al Rifai,
Child and Family Protection Centre
Sharjah's Child and Family Protection Centre, the body that released the data, said it shows an increase in the number of people spotting signs of abuse and reporting incidents, rather than an increase in case numbers themselves.
“The surge in number is a sign of people’s stronger awareness about their role in protecting children even if they are not related to them,” said Amina Al Rifai, director of the Child and Family Protection Centre.
Since its inception in 2007 and until end of June this year, the helpline at Sharjah Child and Family Protection Centre has received a total of 10,828 reports.
Some cases were reported by children themselves, others by family members, acquaintances, or members of the public.
Most cases were a direct result of family disputes, the centre said.
Vigilance from schools
The Child and Family Protection Centre also revealed to The National a number of cases it had dealt with over the past two years to highlight the need for more awareness of the subject of child neglect.
In one case a school in the emirate had suspicions that one of its pupils was being subjected to severe abuse outside the school grounds. The school contacted the helpline to inform them of signs of physical violence as well as lack of attendance in class.
“Social workers found clear abuse marks on the child’s body and decided he was in need of urgent medical care,” said Khalid Al Kathiri, child helpline expert.
“At the school it was also discovered the child’s official documents had not been renewed and that he had not attended classes for months before that day.”
The child was provided with medical care before he was sent to a childcare centre under the Sharjah Social Department.
“We discovered his father was abusing him for many reasons, including financial difficulties and drug addiction,” Mr Khalid said.
Tragic accident
Mr Khalid said another heartbreaking case involved a five-year-old child whose mother left him at home and was then killed in a traffic accident.
“The boy was home alone and unaware of her death,” he said.
When the child was found he was taken to hospital to ensure he was healthy before being sent to the childcare centre. Social workers then tracked down his father who was outside the country.
“When we called him he said his wife suffered mental problems,” Mr Khalid said.
“The father never came to take his son, who remained in the centre for a long time before an arrangement through his embassy was made to send him to a shelter there.”
To ensure the child was going to be well cared for, social workers travelled with the child and inspected his new living situation before returning to the UAE.
Dangerous home environments
Sameera Ibrahim, head of response at the child protection helpline, described a case she dealt with involving a mother who experienced an episode of psychosis and threatened anyone who came to her house with a weapon.
A negative reaction to Covid-19 restrictions and with her husband unable to return to the UAE, she believed she needed to protect her children from intruders.
A friend of the woman reported the situation to authorities who intervened for the safety of the children.
“After the friend’s calls went unanswered, she visited the family’s home and saw how serious the situation was, [so she] called us and reported it,” Ms Sameera said.
“She told us she found the children neglected and in a state of fear.”
Social workers from the centre visited the house and eventually managed to get the situation under control.
The mother was sent to a facility for treatment, while her sister and father took responsibility to care for the children in the meantime.
When the mother's condition improved, she was allowed to meet her children at a government-provided housing.
Her children received therapy to ensure they had not been traumatised.
Co-ordinating departments to guarantee child safety
Cases are dealt with in co-ordination with several other departments including police, prosecution, court, social support centres under the ministry of interior, and institutions of child protection, among others.
“Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility and as for families, they are required to show greater care towards their children,” Ms Al Rifai said.
To strengthen awareness, the centre regularly runs campaigns.
Programmes and training courses specifically designed by experts are also presented throughout the year for parents and members of the public.
“We also organise workshops about detecting and reporting suspected cases to staff at private and public hospitals,” Ms Al Rifai said.
They also have online lectures for children so that they can learn how to recognise unacceptable behaviour towards them, she said.
“Our goal is to protect children from all forms of abuse.”
Reports can be made through the Child Protection Centre hotline 800700, on WhatsApp number 065015995 or on email helpme@sssd.shj.ae. Incidents considered urgent will be attended to within 24 hours.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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Favourite film: Marvel movies
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1. Fasting
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3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
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9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
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Investment: approximately $8 million
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
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5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
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Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
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ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
