Day: July 27, 2022

DUBAI, Since 2021, the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) has held more than 57 educational seminars targeting more than 3,200 members of the community, including children, adolescents, parents and family protection specialists.

These seminars are part of the efforts to introduce laws, programmes and preventive initiatives to protect children, and educate families about the negative impact of drugs and prevention methods. The ministry’s educational vision is based on the protection of children towards correct and balanced child upbringing in support of the ministry’s goals and objectives to promote family stability and their well-being.

Eman Hareb Al Falahi, Director of Social Protection Department at the MoCD, revealed that in 2021, about ten workshops were organised, benefitting 507 people in disseminating the culture of child rights in the community. The ministry also implemented four specialised workshops within the Children Coordinators programme in sports and cultural clubs at the Special Olympics UAE to train 51 specialists to enhance child protection efforts at clubs.

She said, “The ministry strengthened its educational efforts by targeting more than 750 early childhood children with four workshops as part of “I Do Not Accept” preventive awareness programme to protect children and train them not to accept abuse through appropriate methods. The ministry also organised 20 workshops to increase the awareness of families about the negative impact of drugs and ways to prevent them. It targeted approximately 1,225 people in addition to six other educational workshops entitled “Together towards a domestic violence-free environment” bringing together 450 people in collaboration with MSF’s regional office.”

During the first quarter of 2022, the ministry organised more than 13 educational workshops targeting more than 200 people from different categories in the community. On Emirati Children’s Day, a workshop was held as part of the “I do not accept” preventive awareness programme to protect children and introduce them to the Child Rights Law. Organised in Abu Dhabi Libraries and supervised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Tourism and Culture, the workshops were attended by 52 children. About six workshops were also held to educate families about the impact of drugs at Customers’ Happiness Centres in Um al-Qaiwain, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah, Dibba Al Fujairah and Bani Yas bringing together 445 people. Other awareness workshops about Child Rights Law were carried out targeting 77 parents and staff in a number of schools while other awareness sessions about the Child Rights Law targeted municipality officials in the UAE for 28 participants.

Al Falahi emphasised that the ministry is very keen to disseminate the culture of child rights in the community through awareness workshops about the Child Rights Law “Wadeema” and its executive bye-laws.

The ministry focuses its efforts on supporting child protection coordinators in sports clubs affiliated by UAE Football Association Special Olympics UAE to support children who may be exposed to abuse while engaging in sports activities, working to solve their problems in cooperation with all Child Protection Units as stipulated in federal law No. (3) of 2016 on Child Rights Law “Wadeema” and relevant childhood authorities to create a safe and stimulating environment and help them appropriately.

To complete this process, this year, the ministry continues to train more than 120 coordinators in the UAE football Association and Special Olympics UAE.

Last year, the Ministry implemented a series of workshops for children in early childhood, as part of the “I do not accept” programme and the means children can resort to in the event of any kind of abuse. All events are carried out using (kahoot) applications to deliver information to children in an innovative way based on attractive techniques for children aged between three and eight years. The application asks questions that help children answer them in an innovative way, especially about their protection against abuse and bullying through an electronic system. After taking feedback from children, the application corrects their perceptions about certain values and informs them of the child rights enshrined in the law.

In 2021, the MoCD continued its sustainable development role through awareness programmes and initiatives in collaboration with the National Drug Prevention Program (SIRAJ) under the Drug Control Council and the Ministry of the Interior. Together, they organised a series of 20 awareness workshops.

Part of “My protection a priority” campaign titled “Together towards a Family Violence-Free Environment” in collaboration with Medicines Sans Frontiere (MSF) regional office in the UAE, the ministry launched a series of awareness workshops last year about the prevention of domestic violence.

Six workshops were organised targeting some 450 adults and young people, women and men, and people of determination on the protection methods against abuse in all its forms.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a cable of condolences to President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines over the victims of the earthquake that struck north Manila which killed and injured scores of people.

President Sheikh Mohamed wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, also sent a similar cable to President Marcos.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Emirates Food Security Council (EFSC), during its second meeting for 2022, discussed the latest global developments in the agricultural sector, in addition to food availability locally and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Food Price Index (FFPI), with relevant federal and local authorities.

The council members addressed several vital issues related to local and global food security challenges. They also examined recommendations of the National Committee for Developing Local Production and Technology, explored the current state of food prices locally and mechanisms for regulating them, and reviewed the National Nutrition Strategy.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Chair of EFSC, emphasised that the UAE prioritises food security and places great importance on reinforcing its capabilities to address the challenges created by global developments that impact the stability of food supply chains and food availability worldwide.

She said, “Enhancing food security primarily relies on understanding its unique nature, as it is directly affected by changes in all sectors while influencing other sectors. Thus, addressing it demands an integrated and agile ecosystem of cooperation and coordination across all relevant sectors, authorities, and institutions. Creating such an ecosystem is the mandate of EFSC.”

She clarified that understanding pressing global challenges is the only way to tackle them and reduce the risk of global food insecurity. That requires urgent steps by everyone concerned to see food from a more inclusive perspective and to consider its role as a critical factor in achieving a major shift towards a better future.

During their second meeting of this year, the Council members assessed the latest developments in the agricultural sector worldwide through early monitoring data on agricultural production, using reports produced by the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) and FAO’s Food Outlook. In addition, AMIS tracks the monthly production of several key commodities, including wheat, rice, and other grains, legumes, and soy.

The EFSC reviewed the outcomes of the FFPI, which records monthly variations in global average prices across five primary food groups according to consumption volume.

The meeting’s agenda also featured a comprehensive analysis of current food prices locally, and a discussion on the pricing policy of basic consumer goods and their monitoring and regulatory mechanisms. The policy covers an expansive basket of commodities, such as cooking oils, eggs, fresh milk, rice, sugar, fresh chicken, legumes, bread, flour, and cleaning supplies, for which traders need to obtain approval from the Ministry of Economy before increasing prices.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment presented the recommendations previously submitted by the National Committee for Developing Local Production and Technology to the Council members. It updated them on the progress in their implementation. These included designing a mechanism to fund modern agricultural projects, creating a nationwide integrated framework for regulations and import requirements, and adopting measures to boost the sales of local agricultural products.

In addition, the Council members reviewed the National Nutrition Strategy that aims to improve the nutritional status of all UAE population with a collective vision of a healthier and more sustainable future, guided by national, regional, and global policies and strategies to promote health.

They checked on the progress made by the National Nutrition Committee, which prepared an analysis report of the state of nutrition in the UAE, and held a joint workshop with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean to develop the second edition of the National Nutrition Strategy and the related action plan involving health and non-health sectors.

EFSC’s work follows carefully considered priorities, plans, and programmes that consider emergencies, crises, strategic reserves, local agricultural production, food safety, foreign investment, diversification of import sources, and nutrition.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, has issued Ministerial Resolution No. 346 of 2022 regarding the amendment of certain provisions of Ministerial Resolution No. 43 of 2022 on the Wages Protection System (WPS).

Under the new resolution, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) will implement a series of administrative procedures against establishments that do not follow the provisions of the WPS, depending on the duration of the delay in paying workers’ salaries, the size of the establishment and the number of employees that have not been paid.

The resolution also stipulates that MoHRE will monitor establishments registered in its database, regardless of its size, through field visits and the electronic monitoring and inspection system to ensure it pays its employees on time. The Ministry will also issue reminders and notifications to non-compliant establishments, and in the case no action is taken following the receipt of notifications, issuance of new work permits for such establishments will be suspended.

Khalil Al Khoori, Acting Under-Secretary for Human Resources Affairs at MoHRE, said, “The issuance of the Ministerial Resolution is part of the ministry’s efforts towards developing the legislative structure regulating the UAE labour market, which leads global competitiveness reports due to its efficiency, flexibility, and achieving an attractive environment for employers and for talented workers. This is especially true because it ensures the rights and obligations of both parties to the contractual relationship in a balanced manner.”

He noted the resolution aims to enhance long-term balance and stability of the relationship between employers and employees, in line with the rights and responsibilities outlined in the contracts between both parties. “Primarily, it focuses on compliance with the wages’ deadlines and amounts agreed upon in those contracts,” he explained.

Al Khoori commended compliant establishments, saying, “This is testament to the awareness of the significance of complying with the labour law and its executive regulations.”

The amendments outlined in the new resolution include procedures that will be taken gradually against establishments that employ 50 persons or more, where the relevant Public Prosecution will be notified, and the establishment information will be sent to the relevant local and federal authorities for further legal actions. The establishment will be followed up with by the respective department in the Ministry.

All non-compliant establishments, regardless of size, that fail to pay wages four months after the due date will face a suspension on new work permits. If the owner operates other establishments listed with the WPS in the UAE, similar penalties will apply to each of them, after notifying the affected establishments about the suspension of work permits, considering the unity of the partners.

If the establishment repeats the same violation within six months, an administrative fine will be imposed as per Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2022, and the establishment will be downgraded to Tier three (3) under the MoHRE’s establishments classification system.

The amendments also allow establishments to submit requests for exemption from transferring their wages through the WPS in two new cases – seamen/sailors working on board vessels/ships, and workers of foreign establishments or their subsidiaries operating in the country who receive their wages from outside the country, subject to the workers’ consent.

These cases are in addition to the previously exempted cases, which are fishing boats owned by UAE nationals, public taxis owned by UAE nationals, banks and places of worship.

For more information and details about the ministerial resolution, employers may visit the Laws and Regulations page on the Ministry’s website via the following link: www.mohre.gov.ae.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has directed the Ministry of Community Development to accommodate all families affected by floods and torrential rain in the eastern regions of the country to temporary shelter sites.

In cooperation with local departments, His Highness directed the reserving of nearby hotels to accommodate all affected families, as well as those living in areas that may pose a danger to their residents during heavy rains.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Emirates has announced plans to boost connectivity and increase travel options for customers flying between Dubai and Tel Aviv with a second daily flight, starting 30th October 2022.

The additional morning frequency is in response to high demand for travel to/from Israel, and builds on the success of Emirates’ existing operation, as the airline reaffirms its commitment to growing its presence in the country.

The second daily flight will be served by the modern and efficient Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. The new schedule will operate as follows: EK 933 departs Dubai at 0815hrs arriving in Tel Aviv at 0950hrs. EK 934 leaves Tel Aviv at 1150hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1650hrs*.

The second flight provides Emirates customers from Israel with additional travel options to Dubai, as well as convenient onwards connections to popular destinations. The new flight also unlocks enhanced connectivity to a multitude of points within Emirates’ global network such as Auckland, Brisbane, Perth, Bali, Seoul, and Singapore, as well as points across India, among others, making it easier for Israeli travellers to discover new places with shorter transit times.

The service will also provide customers traveling to Israel with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of a morning arrival at Ben Gurion airport, in addition to the existing EK931 service which arrives in the evening. Customers can also take advantage of Emirates’ partnership with flydubai when planning their travel, which includes a robust schedule of multiple daily codeshare flights.

Emirates’ second daily flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv will also provide another 20 tonnes of cargo belly-hold capacity for businesses, further opening global trade lanes through enhanced import and export opportunities.

Source: Emirates News Agency