When the Anti-Abuse Law and its bylaws were issued in June 2014, we were happy. When the Child Protection Law was issued a few months later, we were also overjoyed. The authorities are working on executive bylaws to reflect the essential requirements of Shariah and also of international agreements. These agreements safeguard the rights of children and protect children from all forms of negligence and abuse. As someone who has worked over the past year with many domestic violence cases involving children, I feel optimistic about the efforts exerted by the authorities to issue the said bylaws, especially the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education. We hope that the law is implemented and enforced effectively to serve its greater purpose of protecting children. The Anti-Abuse Law, which protects women and children, will compliment the Child Protection Law because it incorporates many aspects of the rights of children. The Child Protection Law - especially once its bylaws are complete - will allow the authorities to protect the rights of all children. We hope the bylaws make reporting child abuse a must for everyone. Any form of abuse against a child on the street, at school, in a hospital or at a mall should be reported. Anyone who does not comply will be brought before a court of law. Child abuse has been going on for years and victims are left to suffer in silence. A proper penalty should be imposed on anyone who fails to report child abuse or turns a blind eye to it. We hope the new bylaws deal with the paternal control of children that is passed from one generation to another and which is prevalent in some regions of the country. Some tribal families permit their male members to torture innocent children and women under the pretext of disciplining them. They even allow male members to prohibit children and women from completing their education and enjoying their lives as citizens. Those members give themselves the right to expel, detain, burn, torture and starve children and women, and even to engage in sexual practices with children. Article 3 of the law guarantees children honorable lives, good treatment, education, health care and safety. Using words that belittle children is considered a form of abuse that is punishable by law. These are the laws that are required to end the abuse of children.
