Forum highlights family's role in child protection

MUSCAT, NOV 3

The Child Protection Forum, organised by the Ministry of Social Development under auspice of Nasr bin Khamis al Sawa'i, Attorney General, discussed strengthening the child protection system by highlighting the family's role in safeguarding them. It reviewed relevant legislation, developed national policies and mechanisms, and built effective institutional partnerships between government agencies and civil society.

The forum aims to ensure comprehensive protection for children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. It also seeks to raise community awareness of the dangers of violence, neglect and abuse, and the importance of early intervention and reporting. Furthermore, it aims to review the role of child protection committees and the best local, regional and international practices in the field of child protection.

Bushra al Kindi, Assistant Director of the Family Development Department in Muscat Governorate, stated: “The forum serves as an effective national platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise among specialists and experts in this field. It reaffirms the Sultanate of Oman’s unwavering commitment to protecting children’s rights and ensuring their safety within a secure family and community environment. This environment fosters opportunities for healthy growth and active participation in national development. Child protection is a shared national responsibility that requires continuous integration and coordination among various governmental, private and civil society sectors.”

Dr Watfa al Maamari, Senior Consultant in the Child Health Department at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, said: “The National Child Protection Guidelines are the result of a partnership and institutional collaboration between various sectors, most notably the Ministry of Social Development, Unicef Oman, and several other ministries. Based on the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Oman has ratified, the guidelines place the child at the centre of development and align with the Sustainable Development Goals.” She added that the guidelines establish a systematic mechanism for managing cases of children at risk, comprising six stages for assessment and planning, tailored to the specific needs of each child.

For his part, Mazen bin Mohammed al Badi, Child Protection Representative at the Family Development Department of the Directorate-General of Social Development in Muscat Governorate, stated: “The Child Protection Forum is a shared responsibility, bringing together all stakeholders to discuss various issues related to childhood and that childhood is a crucial and sensitive stage in shaping a person's character and developing their mental and cognitive abilities, among others. It also determines future behavioural patterns. Some believe that abuse ends once the report is filed, but this is a misconception."

The forum addressed four main themes: legal, psychological, social and media aspects. The legal and legislative theme covered the legal framework for child protection, the role of judicial and law enforcement agencies in family and child-related cases, early childhood development, women's empowerment, and aligning parenting knowledge with educational legislation in the Sultanate of Oman.

The psychological, social and health axis focused on the complications of shaken baby syndrome, the burden of neurological disability, and the importance of prevention in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Gulf. It also addressed the long-term psychological effects of abuse on the child and family, methods of intervention, treatment, and psychological support for abuse victims, and the role of the extended family and community in recovery and psychological support.

A set of recommendations were issued, most importantly the need to strengthen the national child protection system by expanding coordination among child protection agencies and implementing the National Child Protection Guidelines as a unified reference for documenting reports, referrals and follow-up. The forum also recommended establishing a national monitoring and evaluation system to measure the impact of preventive and therapeutic programmes using quantitative and qualitative indicators.