Healthcare | Tuesday 3 May, 2016 2:10 pm |

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, has praised the UAE's wise leadership for ensuring the rights of children and supporting patients with cancer.

 

Her Highness extended her profound thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for their ongoing commitment to both groups of people, who each require support and assistance in different ways. 

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher's tributes coincided with the issuance of Federal Law No.3 of 2016 on child rights, also known as ‘Wudeema's Law,’ by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Al Nahyan, as well as the announcement by the Ministry of Health and Prevention to implement the Cabinet's initiative for the early detection of the three common types of cancer; breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer. 

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher highlighted the importance of endorsing the child rights law in its new formula, which has been introduced to ensure harmonisation of child-related legislation. Her Highness stressed that the UAE has made great strides in the area of child protection thanks to the support of the leadership, which has issued this law to combine the local legal framework with international treaties and conventions on child rights.

 

"The issuance of the child rights law was one of the most important demands called for by the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Children's Centres. This demand stems from our firm belief in the law's significant role in ensuring the safety of our children's growth and providing them with the appropriate environment and protection against all forms of discrimination, including those based on gender and disability. The law is imperative to ensure that children are provided with protection, including non-discrimination and the prohibition of corporal punishment, or any form of inhumane treatment," Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher explained.

 

Her Highness added: "The UAE is a country governed by state institutions and supremacy of the law, which work to achieve justice for all categories of society. Within this context, a modern legal and legislative framework is essential to protect children. Through this new legislation, all Emirati children are protected against negligence and physical and psychological abuse. The new law also enshrines compulsory children's education, something that we have always called for."

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher emphasised that Sharjah's vision for children's rights and its experience in this context goes beyond children living in the UAE. Her Highness highlighted that Sharjah has strived to ensure that refugee children and adolescents in regions afflicted by conflict and strife enjoy international protection and have their best interests taken as a primary consideration in all matters affecting their well-being and future. 

 

This vision was materialised in the ‘Sharjah Principles’ that were the fruits of the ‘Investing in the Future: Protecting Refugee Children and Adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa Conference,’ which was organised by the Big Heart Foundation in 2014.

The Sharjah Principles stipulate that all refugee children should be registered and documented at birth in their countries of asylum. They should also have the right to family unity and enjoy protection from separation. The principles also state that refugee children should receive a quality education in a safe environment that supports their developmental needs, as well as be protected against violence, abuse and exploitation, including child labour. Under the Sharjah Principles, all refugee children should have access to national systems and services, including health and psychosocial support. 

 

Due to the importance of the Sharjah Principles, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has circulated them to all countries, with the stipulations under the principles to be implemented with its supervision. 

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher is known for her advocacy for the issues of refugee and underprivileged children. Her unflinching support in this issue led to her appointment in May 2013 as UNHCR Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children. This was in recognition of her significant efforts through the Big Heart Foundation to raise public awareness about the issues of refugee children and ensure they have access to protection, care, education and treatment. 

 

On a contemporaneous note, the Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced that it will embark on the implementation of the Cabinet's initiative for the early detection of cancer, which was launched in September 2015.

 

On this topic, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi said: "We greatly appreciate the tremendous efforts being made by the Ministry of Health and Prevention to put our wise leadership's vision into practice with regards to raising awareness about cancer. These efforts include the provision of screening tests for early detection of the disease - a move that comes within the country's comprehensive strategy that aims to ensure a healthy life for every member of the UAE community."

Her Highness noted that programmes and activities carried out as part of the initiative will contribute to promoting awareness about cancer and the importance of its early detection. The initiative will provide free cancer screening services to all citizens over the next three years, with early screening, in conjunction with prevention programmes and effective treatment, being fundamental in the fight against cancer. 

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher added: "Sharjah has dedicated significant energy in the fight against cancer at the country level. These efforts have seen the launch of numerous initiatives, most notably the Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) and the Pink Caravan. Through these activities we have been able to provide treatment to hundreds of patients. We have also raised awareness about the disease and the importance of its early detection among thousands of people. Our experience in fighting cancer has led to the passing of formal legislation that is aimed at fighting and eliminating the disease. We are delighted that our wise leadership did not hesitate to approve the law that ensures free early detection screenings for citizens to promote their welfare, happiness and wellness. "   

 

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi founded FoCP in 1999, with the charity dedicated to spreading awareness around the six forms of early detectable carcinoma; breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, colon cancer and skin cancer. It fights against these forms under the umbrella of its ‘Kashf’ programme, which was launched by FoCP with the aim of providing free early detection screenings and offering treatment payment for patients. 

 

Since its inception, FoCP has provided financial and moral support to more than 1,380 male and female cancer patients across the UAE. Through its Pink Caravan initiative launched in 2010, the organisation has been able to achieve landmark results in promoting awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and dispelling misconceptions surrounding the disease. Pink Caravan has so far offered free screenings to 41,356 women, as well as men, of all nationalities and ages in the country.