ABU DHABI // A heated debate on the country’s first child rights law was halted after members argued about a clause allowing the removal of children from their homes without a court order.
Discussions about the 72-article bill, which gives unprecedented rights to all children, stalled when members reached article 50, which covers the removal of children from their homes.
Some members argued this breached the constitution.
The Child Rights Law – drafted after the torture and murder of an eight-year old girl by her father and his girlfriend – states that a childcare specialist can remove a youngster in imminent danger from their home without permission from a judge.
The expert would need to obtain a court order within 24 hours.
Some members and the Minister of Social Affairs, Mariam Al Roumi, backed this but others, including Ahmed Al Zaabi (Sharjah), also a lawyer, said it breached people’s rights and privacy as laid down by the constitution.
The council’s legal advisor also said the law contradicted the constitution and that no one had the right to raid a home without a court order or permission from the family.
“By law, you are not allowed to go in and take a child,” he said.
He said the law had to be changed so that a court order was obtained before a child was removed.
But Salem Al Ameri (Abu Dhabi) argued that in the case of imminent danger, the rule could cost a life.
He said that when his committee studied the law, it learned about a girl who was burned to death because a court order for her removal came three days late.
“What is more important, the sanctity of a house, or a child’s life?” asked Dr Mona Al Bahar (Dubai).
As confusion continued and members tried to excuse the law, Ahmed Al Shamsi (Ajman) asked once again if they could pass the law.
Mohammed Al Murr, the FNC Speaker, insisted there was no breach of the constitution because the law was in a certain context, the council’s legal advisor stood firm.
“Here we are talking about imminent danger, not any danger but a child’s life,” Ms Al Roumi said.
She said the childcare specialists would be accompanied by the police.
Mr Al Zaabi pointed out that police were not allowed to enter without a warrant unless a crime had been committed.
“This is unconstitutional,” he said.
Members agreed to continue discussions on Wednesday.
Earlier in the session, the council established a right to a secure and intact family.
A member found the clause dispensable, citing strong family bonds as the norm in the UAE, but Dr Al Bahar explained its importance.
“In some cases that come to us of divorce, we see children abused,” said Dr Al Bahar, who also works at the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children. “Local dads rape their girls and abuse them in other ways as well. This is a reality, not imaginary.”
The minister said this right was a “jewel” in the law to establish rights for children.
“The law needs to talk about rights overall. This is a main right and should be the first, before they even go to school,” she said.
Mr Al Shamsi agreed and said discussions with childcare specialists revealed a harsh reality that needed to be addressed.
osalem@thenational.ae
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
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Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
The biog
Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
From: Kalba
Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge
Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali
Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km
RACE CARD
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Turf) 2,200m
5.30pm: Khor Al Baghal – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Khor Faridah – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
7.30pm: Khor Laffam – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
