Under the high patronage of H. H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood (SCMC), Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood and General Women’s union organized in cooperation with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Gulf Area Office a workshop on “Child Protection Measures”.

This 2 day workshop was held at General Women’s union headquarters in Abu Dhabi, and aimed at creating awareness about providing child protection services against violence, abuse and neglect on real ground. It also sought to identify and describe accurately the measures, mechanisms and practices implemented by all agencies and bodies operating in the field of child protection.

Around 60 representatives from ministries, agencies and bodies concerned with child protection on local and federal level in the UAE participated in this workshop, which also aimed to propose developing internal measures of these entities as independent units and external measures among these entities. In addition, it also sought to explore various methods of coordination, exchange of expertise and building abilities.

Discussions raised at this workshop would contribute to drawing up a clear map for handling and referring cases that require protection. The purpose of doing that is to develop better and more integrated and effective protection services and create a certain mechanism to exchange experiences and information amongst all concerned agencies and entities.

This workshop is conducted as part of interests and priorities of the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood by providing protection and safety for both mother and child. This also can be achieved by securing child’s right to survival, growth, and participation in the community and protection. This could occur by following up and assessing developmental plans to achieve the aspired welfare and well being of the children in the UAE.