Stressing the importance of activating Parents’ Councils
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, July 24th 2013 [ME NewsWire]
In line with the spirituality of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Law Respect Culture Bureau at the Ministry of Interior organized on Tuesday evening, a social, cultural, educational and informational Ramadan Council, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Police Juveniles Care Center. During the Council, participants stressed the need to reinforce the role of Parents’ Councils; placing restrictions on social networking sites, and further supervision so as to protect children from the risks associated with these sites that have stormed life with Western cultures and ideas that are contrary to our religion, values and authentic traditions, especially that these sites have become part and parcel of the daily lives of young people who are always eager to keep abreast of novelties.
The Council was attended by Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Balrkad Al Ameri, member of the Advisory Council; Brigadier Ahmed Mohammed Nehkairah, Head of Human Rights Department in the Ministry of Interior, and Chairman of the Juveniles Care Center Steering Committee; and Habib Al Sayegh, Editor-in-Chief, Advisor of Editorial Affairs at Dar Al Khaleej. Also attending the Council, Emirati poet and author Abdullah Hadiya; Alsaad Omar Al Menhali, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Al Arabiya; Mohammad Al Dhanhani, Chief Prosecutor; and Dr. Ahmed Noureddine Al-Zamil, religious preacher at the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments; along with a number of officers from the Law Respect Culture Bureau and the Juveniles Care Center.
The Council was held at the Juveniles Welfare Centre in Abu Dhabi; with Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Salah Obeid Al Ghoul, Director of Law Respect Culture Bureau leading the discussions. Addressing the gathering, at the opening of the Council’s session, Brigadier Ahmed Mohammed Nehkairah thanked the audience for taking part in this Council. He also expressed his thanks to the Law Respect Culture Bureau for holding the Council at the Juveniles Care Center, thus acquainting employees and juveniles with the Law Respect Culture concept, which would encourage individuals to respect the law out of conviction, not out of fear of punishment or legal penalty.
Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Salah Obeid Al Ghoul welcomed Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Balrkad Al Ameri and all attendees. He conveyed to them the greetings of the police leadership, stressing its keenness to follow-up and keep abreast of all the issues and events raised in society.
He noted that this Council complements the Ramadan Councils organized by the Bureau at the state level, which tackled several media, educational, sports and heritage-related topics.
"The Council tackled four main topics, namely; the ‘law respect culture and its religious, social and legal importance’; the "role of Education Institutions in Supporting Law Respect Culture’; the ‘role of social networking sites and their impact on the youth’; and as a fourth topic, some ‘legal highlights’,” he added.
For his part, Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Balrkad Al Ameri gave an overview of the different stages in promulgating laws and their importance, noting that the law is enacted in line with the needs of society. Moreover, he pointed out that all laws are issued by the authorized relevant party and approved by the President of the State. When published in the Official Gazette, all laws become binding to every individual within the State borders; therefore, no one can claim that he or she is unaware of the law in question, and will consequently be held liable for sanction in case of any violation. Hence, all individuals must abide by the law, out of conviction, not out of fear of punishment or legal penalty.
"Laws are studied by specialists then submitted to the National Council and the Council of Ministers for approval. Final approval is given by the Head of the State,” he added.
Furthermore, he stressed the need to create a positive relation among individuals and the law, to convince them that the binding laws enacted by higher authorities are not in vain; they were meant to for the noble purpose of achieving justice and equality in society. Moreover, he added that the law-making process is not arbitrary; it is done according to a scientific methodology and well-advised statistics, to achieve the best interests of all individuals, who should be aware that it is in their good interest and the interest of others around them to respect the law.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Noureddine Al Zamil, religious preacher at the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, tackled the relationship between the Sharia and the importance of obeying the laws in the Islamic religion. He also stressed the need to promote the law respect culture, so that people understand that laws were enacted for their good interests and happiness: "It is necessary to promote the law respect culture by reinforcing religious awareness among members of the community, because all rules and regulations issued by the Ruler and the Government must be respected,” he continued.
He called for concerted efforts between all parties, stressing that instilling the law respect culture should not only be limited to the Law Respect Culture Bureau, in order to establish and consolidate the UAE’s prominent position as a leader in the field of law respect culture.
On the same note, Habib Al Sayegh, Editor-in-Chief, Advisor of Editorial Affairs at Dar Al Khaleej expressed his thanks to Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior on the Ramadan Councils’ initiative, organized by the Law Respect Culture Bureau at the ministry. He commended this initiative, which will contribute to instill the law respect concept in the UAE society in thought and behavior.
Al Sayegh indicated that such actions based on direct communication with the public transforms the law into a social contract; citing the draft labor law, which Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, instructed to poll the business sector opinion before approving it. This ensures that the segment of society concerned with the relevant law is well acquainted with its provisions, how to apply them and deal with them.
Moreover, Al Sayegh noted the importance of spreading awareness of the UAE law in multiple languages, due to the diversity of nationalities of people residing in the state. In this context, he praised the Ministry of Interior, which was a pioneer in seeking communication with residents of the state in several languages, so as to acquaint them with laws and regulations.
Concluding, Al Sayegh called for activating the role of schools in promoting the law culture respect among its students. He also stressed the importance of reinforcing Parents’ Councils to enhance communication between families and schools for the good of students.
Emirati poet and author Abdullah Hadiya wondered: Do educational institutions assume their responsibility to instill a law respect culture among our children and youth? "Partnership between the Ministry of Interior and other institutions need to focus on the importance of instilling the law respect culture,” he stated.
Alsaad Omar Al Menhali, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Al Arabiya touched in his speech on role models and their significant importance in shaping the human personality, pointing out to the absence of such models in the community.
Commenting on the subject, legal researcher Milan Eid, indicated that the relationship between individuals and the law is mutual. "Knowing the law is an important part of obeying it; and many people have a great fear of the law. Some young people have a reckless approach towards the law; and this is reflected in the traffic violations they commit,” she noted; stressing the need for young people to abide by the culture of law.
Mohammad Al Dhanhani, Chief Prosecutor, expressed his thanks and appreciation for the Council’s organizers, pointing out that ignorance of the law is no excuse for non-compliance; if the law is published in the Official Gazette, dedicated to the promulgation of laws.
In his comments, Brigadier Ahmed Mohammed Nehkairah affirmed that families and schools are considered the most important tools of socialization, stressing that they play a key role in instilling and promoting collective sense making, which allows individuals to be sensible and to others’ feelings and to respect them. "The family’s failure to play its role in instilling and enhancing the sense of emotional and physical connection during childhood and adolescence, is one of the most important factors that contribute to produce troubled individuals, non- compliant with the laws, regulations and values of society (Antisocial personality),” he noted.
With respect to social networking sites and their impact on the youth, participants emphasized that they have become a basic necessity, therefore, there is a need to protect our children from the risks associated with these sites; for constructive restriction on their content and their mode of use; for establishing binding legislations and laws; and spreading awareness messages on those sites.
At the end of the Council, Brigadier Ahmed Mohammed Nehkairah extended his thanks and appreciation to the Law Respect Culture Bureau for its diligent efforts to organize and hold such councils. A raffle draw was organized and three prizes were distributed to the Center’s Juveniles.
For more information about:
The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE
Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE
Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Photo Caption:
Photo: During Ramadan Council
The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/8084/en
|
