In the Governorates of North and South Sharqia, Human Rights Implements Awareness Programs to Protect Children from Neglect and Abuse

In cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Social Development and in partnership with Omani women’s associations, the OHRC implemented a series of awareness programs on human rights and child protection from neglect and abuse in the governorates of North and South Sharqiyah. The awareness programs featured the presentation of papers addressing human rights and the safeguarding of children from neglect and abuse. Open discussions were facilitated with participants, and informative films elucidating subjects monitored by the Ministry of Social Development and the OHRC were presented. Additionally, printed awareness publications targeting children were distributed. These publications outlined entities responsible for receiving reports concerning children, communication channels, coordination methods, and guidance on how children can protect themselves from potential abuses. The executed programs encompassed an overview of national mechanisms dedicated to safeguarding and advancing human rights. This involved defining and concepts associated with human rights, mechanisms for their promotion and protection, national human rights institutions, and outlining the OHRC terms of reference. The presentation further delved into mechanisms used to monitor and receive communications, methods of communication, and means of raising awareness and education about human rights. The programs also included introducing the attendees to the awareness and educational programs implemented by the OHRC to reduce cases of abuse and neglect towards children. In addition to reviewing the Articles of the Child Law, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the means and procedures, and the precautions that shall be taken to reduce incidents of neglect and abuse towards children. In addition, the program presented the mechanisms followed in the Ministry of Social Development to protect children from neglect and abuse, the indicators through which children can be inferred from abuse, the cases dealt with by child protection committees, and the mechanisms for communicating and reporting cases and incidents that children may be exposed to in society.