With an aim to unify protection mechanisms for children who have faced abuse, Sharjah’s Child Safety Department (CSD) has come up with a new initiative to bring a child protection centre into the picture.

The department has reviewed the pilot phase of Kanaf Child Protection Centre and aims to have a safe haven for victims of child abuse.

Making it a safe place for the children who have been through abuse, the Kanaf Child Protection Centre has been founded under the directive of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA).

 
The centre aims to combine protection mechanisms for children who have faced abuse and will ensure their safety by providing a supportive environment as well as access to legal, social, and emotional support through relevant entities.

The CSD also showcased the procedures and mechanisms in place at child protection centres worldwide in a recently organised workshop. Participants at the workshop specified institutional viewpoints on how to deal with child abuse cases by highlighting the challenges faced when working with victims of abuse. They also discussed the joint responsibilities of the agencies and things to look after here on.

During the workshop, Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director of CSD, said, “Kanaf translates the directives of Sheikha Jawaher to standardise child protection measures, identify partners and adopt global best practices in the field. This workshop is in alignment with the goal to incorporate varied perspectives and viable solutions into this experimental stage of our project so as to facilitate a lucid and stress-free child protection journey.”