UAE launches system to assist domestic abuse victims

DUBAI: Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, emphasised that “Soun” Innovative System for Early Detection Against Potential Abuse maintains the stability of the family and achieves their wellbeing.

The system coincides with the initiatives of the family protection policy to strengthen a social system that protects family members, preserves their rights, maintains the family entity and affirms its role in active community development.

This was announced during the launch of the “Soun” Innovative System (Soun means “safeguard” in English) and the “family protection guide”. It is a part of the activities and initiatives organised by the ministry during “UAE Innovates” Month in 2022 in line with the innovation week held at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Buhumaid, said that both “Soun” Innovative System and “family protection guide” carry social values value to maintain the stability of all family members and achieve better wellbeing.

During the launch, Eman Hareb Al Falahi, Director of Social Protection Department at the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD), stated that the system aims for early detection against potential abuse. It asks for information and facts revealing their condition, whether they are safe and sound, or the degree to which they are abused, whether they need specialised consultations, or the need to involve specialists directly and evaluate the situation in case of red colour. They are notified through a notice as soon as they have answered the questions.

“The system informs about people to the phone numbers of competent authorities and provides the necessary assistance to those exposed to abuse. It also introduces all beneficiaries to the necessary information to ensure they are safeguarded and enjoy their wellbeing in stable conditions and are aware of their rights and obligations through several educational awareness videos. This system also contributes to the stability of family members and consolidates social coherence, protects the private lives of family members, domestic violence management, and prevention methods by using guidelines,” she said.

Al Falahi stated that the system provides four contents: scientific, preventive, therapeutic, and educational for users. (1) Early detection of abuse against family members by answering several questions that sociologists and psychiatrists prepared to measure the degree of the potential impact on the system users, thus receiving access to information and facts that reveal the extent to which a person has been abused, and then alert the person to correct their path (2) Package of educational awareness videos to raise the level of knowledge about domestic violence issues 3) relevant protection laws aimed at providing family members with laws governing family relations to maintain their interests allowing them to enjoy their lives while at the same time increasing their awareness of their rights and obligations in accordance with the status, age, degree of maturity and abilities of the person, (4) Family Protection Guide provides documenting of knowledge and information on family crisis management methods, to avoid negative impacts on the stability of families, whose protection is a necessity.

She said that the application allows competent people to answer a group of questions addressed to customers electronically through the system by revealing the extent to which a person has been harmed or potentially harmed and then providing him with the action that he or she can take and who is responsible.

She added that the features of the new system include three degrees of evaluation: green colour which indicates that the person lives within a safe environment, orange colour means that the person needs specialised consultations to help him reach the state of stability, and red colour, which means that the person needs special protection measures. The application provides the person with phone numbers that he can contact while maintaining the confidentiality of information for all individuals.

She indicated that the ministry aims to apply the system for children, women, men, people of determination, senior citizens and different nationalities. She noted that the application’s content includes an early detection form for abuse, a guide to prevention against domestic violence, related protection laws, digital wellbeing policy, and awareness videos. It also allows the customer to conduct self-assessment technologically secured whether directly or through another person by virtue of their knowledge, situation and living reality.

The system is available for all the community members through the application “mocdconnect’ and smart app stores “Apple, Android” in both Arabic and English languages. The system can be used easily by adults, young people and even children and they benefit from its support, awareness and education messages.

Additionally, Advisor Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Al Kamali, Director-General of Judicial Training Institute, added that the Family Protection Guide aligns with the positive roles between all relevant parties to maintain the wellbeing of Emirati family members. The guide is a fruitful strategic partnership between the MoCD and the Ministry of Justice represented by Judicial Institute to achieve the highest possible benefit for all individuals and community members.

Over the past years, the MoCD has approved a set of policies, initiatives and procedures on promoting the protection of various family members, including, Family Protection Policy and Child Protection Specialists Programme, who act as judicial officers to implement the rules and regulations of the Federal Child Rights Law known as “Wadeema”.

‘Soun’ Innovative System coincides with the definition of the protection policy against domestic violence; as protecting all or any family member from any abuse or threat committed by a family member, or in their judgement against another individual, exceeding their jurisdiction, guardianship, authority or responsibility, resulting in material or psychological harm.

WAM

online news Dubai |  Dubai online news | news UAE | UAE Tolerance |  latest | breaking | current headlines | Dubai breaking today | UAE breaking news | Breaking news  | today headlines | entertainment | Sports update |  Technology | World | Science | History | new | Environment | Update | Travel | Latest news | news update | Business headlines