This is a universal concern

SHARJAH -- The Organizing Committee of the Child Safety Campaign have signed an agreement with the Protection of Children’s Rights Administration, a subdivision of the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, to jointly promote children’s rights and welfare. 

The agreement comes within the framework of the efforts made by the Child Safety Campaign 2015, which was launched by the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. 

The signing ceremony took place at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, and was attended by Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Head of the Organising Committee of the Child Safety Campaign 2015 and Ahmed Ibrahim Al Tartour, Director of the Protection of Children’s Rights Administration at the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, who signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations in the presence of a number of officials and employees from both sides. 

According to the agreement, both parties will cooperate and share their experiences to implement the standards of child protection required for the Child Safety Campaign 2015, which was launched under the guidance of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi. They will also explore the best international standards to achieve the emirate’s objectives and aspirations in child safety, and will develop a safe and nurturing environment for children, in line with the best practices applicable in the most developed countries. 

Speaking on the occasion, Al Yafei said, "We are thrilled to sign this new agreement, which highlights the integration and collaboration among Sharjah’s organizations and entities to protect children and promote their rights and safety to ensure they achieve their full potential in the future, and serve the country’s vision and goals." 

She added, "There is no doubt that any move in this direction is a step forward in achieving the vision and directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher, who gave us her full support to make this initiative a success and to serve the best interests of children, who are the cornerstone of society’s future growth and development." 

Al Tartour said, "Our involvement in supporting this initiative and signing this agreement is part of our responsibility and duty towards children and our role in child protection. Through this agreement, we strengthen our efforts in providing the utmost care for children to enable them to have a role in the development process. This initiative shows the great attention paid by the Sharjah Government to protect children from any danger or violence." 

Al Tartour added, "According to this agreement of cooperation with the Child Safety Campaign, there will be 70 active workshops at 45 government and private schools for the three age groups in schools, covering 2,350 male and female children. The type of workshop will differ from one age group to another with respect to children’s comprehension and cognitive abilities. In addition, there will be joint activities and programmes to spread awareness and educate children about their rights." 

Launched earlier this year, the Child Safety Campaign includes awareness programmes that target children from kindergarten up to the 3rd grade, as well as their parents. To achieve this, the campaign organizes many programmes and workshops in cooperation with supporting agencies in order to secure safe environmental standards for children, enhance awareness about children’s rights, communicate with them and encourage them to acquire cognitive, behavioral and kinetic skills that promote their care and safety. 

Numerous agencies are participating in the Child Safety Campaign and working diligently to educate children. Seventeen agencies have participated in the campaign this year, while the events and workshops organized so far total 182 out of 260 events that aim to create awareness among children and their families. 

The programmes will actively contribute to convey the noble message of the Child Safety Campaign, launched by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher. The campaign promotes a culture of prevention from any violence or danger that children may be vulnerable to, and effectively communicates prevention measures with parents.

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