On World Children’s Day, Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Affirms: The UAE Places the Child’s Best Interests at the Heart of All Decisions and Policies

The UAE Places the Child’s Best Interests at the Heart of All Decisions and Policies

His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs’ Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), affirmed that protecting children’s rights and ensuring their physical and emotional wellbeing is a strategic priority for the UAE, which places the child’s best interests at the core of all national decisions, policies, and programs. On the occasion of World Children’s Day, and in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to make 2026 the “Year of the Family,” His Highness said that this day represents an opportunity to renew the nation’s commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment that respects children's rights, meets their needs, and empowers them to thrive to their full potential within strong families, cohesive communities, with effective institutions working together for the future of the next generations.

This year, the UAE celebrates World Children’s Day under the theme “Listen to the future! Stand with children’s rights,” falling during Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week. His Highness urged continued efforts to unify national initiatives that protect children by improving coordination between federal and local family and childhood agencies. He highlighted the need to further develop the “Dama Al-Aman” system as a comprehensive child protection framework that links all relevant sectors, starting with the family and including education, social and health services, as well as judicial and law-enforcement authorities.

The ECA continues to enhance monitoring, evaluation, and quality assurance systems within the “Dama Al-Aman” framework, expand preventive programs, and adopt evidence-based and innovative interventions tailored to the evolving needs of children and families amid rapid social and technological shifts. Launched by the Authority in collaboration with its partners across multiple sectors, the “Dama Al-Aman” system reflects the emirate’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and underscores its role in strengthening child protection globally.

The emirate has also made significant progress in building national capacity by training hundreds of specialists, including educators, doctors, nurses, social workers, prosecutors, and others, across more than ten accredited programs developed in cooperation with the National Academy for Childhood Development. These efforts
aim to ensure the readiness and effectiveness of the child protection system in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

As part of the Abu Dhabi Child Protection Strategy (2020–2024), the emirate established the Child Centre, the first integrated centre to provide comprehensive child protection services under one roof, in partnership with the Family Care Authority. The centre has made it easier for families to access holistic support and improved the response time to cases. A new branch has recently opened in Al Ain, with plans for further expansion. In addition, an electronic reporting platform enables direct communication with specialists to ensure swift intervention whenever children face potential risks.

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