ABU DHABI, 11th October, 2023 (WAM) — The Emirati Children’s Parliament embodies the UAE’s commitment to protecting the rights of children and promoting their effective participation in issues and topics related to them and to the development of society.The opening of nominations for membership in the “Parliament” in its third session for the period 2023-2025, comes shortly after the announcement of the preliminary list of winning candidates in the 2023 Federal National Council elections. This confirms the UAE’s interest in consolidating children’s participation in decision-making through dialogue and expressing opinions in an organised framework. It also aims to prepare a generation capable of exercising its social roles and contributing effectively to the construction and development of society, and to educate children about their rights and how to defend them in accordance with the National Strategy for Motherhood and Childhood, the Child Protection Law (Wadimah), and the Convention on the Rights of th
e Child.The first session of the Emirati Children’s Parliament demonstrated the young generation’s high level of awareness, national sentiment, and ability to participate effectively in development and construction. The Parliament presented a set of recommendations during its sessions.The Emirati Children’s Parliament held its first opening session of the first legislative session on March 15, 2021, in Zayed Hall at the Federal National Council headquarters. During the session, the decision by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, (Mother of the Nation) Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), regarding the invitation of the Emirati Children’s Parliament to convene, was read. This was followed by the first procedural session in which the president was elected, who won by acclamation, then the members took the oath, and the draft basic law of the parliament was approved. The parli
ament’s bodies were also elected, which are the president, vice president, and rapporteur.The first procedural session witnessed the formation of the parliament’s committees, which are: the Committee on Legislative, Legal and Child Rights, the Committee on Education, Youth, Sports and Media Affairs, and the Committee on Health, Social Affairs and Labor.The Emirati Children’s Parliament held a session on November 24, 2021, during which the Committee on Legislative, Legal and Child Rights submitted important proposals and recommendations, including the establishment of children’s and youth centres in all emirates called “G 71”, the participation of children in the boards of directors of federal bodies and institutions that deal with children’s affairs, empowering children in these councils and setting up a mechanism to regulate the granting of child membership that defines its responsibilities and competencies.In the session held on November 21, 2022, the “Parliament” recommended the establishment of a committe
e concerned with the environment and sustainability in its third session, the unification of health insurance for all children of the state to include the costs of psychological treatment, the provision of a non-seasonal hotline for child mental health services, and appropriate competencies to receive calls from children suffering from disorders, including children with disabilities, in addition to the preparation of a guide for parents, teachers, and those around the child with a psychological disorder.The Parliament held a new session on November 25, 2022, during which the Committee on Legislative, Legal and Child Rights submitted several proposals and recommendations, including the abolition of patent registration fees for all students under the age of 18, providing the material and right guidance for registering the ideas of inventors in the correct way, establishing a department in the Ministry of Economy that specialises in supporting children’s inventions, and establishing specialised centres in each e
mirate of the state that support and follow up on children’s inventions and guarantee their rights.It is worth noting that the Emirati Children’s Parliament is composed of 40 members from all emirates of the state, equally divided between males and females, similar to the composition of the Federal National Council, including one member with disabilities from each emirate. The term of membership is two full years, and its sessions are held under the dome of the Federal National Council.In order to participate in the Emirati Children’s Parliament elections, candidates must meet the following criteria: they should be UAE citizens aged between 10 and 16. They are required to submit a comprehensive resume, a passport-sized photo, a copy of their passport, a brief video presentation explaining their candidacy and outlining their ideas, and obtain parental consent. Proficiency in both Arabic and English is also a prerequisite.
Source: Emirates News Agency