Dubai: The Child and Women Protection Department at Dubai Police's General Department of Human Rights, in partnership with the Community Development Authority in Dubai, organised an awareness forum coinciding with the Year of the Family and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The forum was held at Al Warqa Majlis, attended by a number of specialists and those interested in social affairs. It affirmed the importance of embedding a culture of respect for senior citizens and older persons and strengthening efforts to protect them and ensure their quality of life.

Brigadier Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shaer, Director of the General Department of Human Rights at Dubai Police, confirmed that protecting senior citizens and older persons is a national priority that reflects the UAE's approach to upholding human dignity and enhancing quality of life. He noted that organising this forum aligns with government directives to embed a culture of respect and care for this group in society, quoting His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council: "Dubai is one big family that cares for its elderly, honours them, and ensures their full integration and active participation in their community, he added."

Brig. Al Shaer indicated that Dubai Police continues its awareness and preventive efforts in partnership with relevant entities to enhance the protection of senior citizens and raise awareness of their rights, ensuring them a safe and dignified life and reinforcing their active role in society.

Integrated System
Maitha Al Shamsi, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment Sector at the Community Development Authority in Dubai, reaffirmed that enhancing the protection of senior citizens is not limited to providing care and services but extends to building an integrated community system that ensures their active participation and leverages their accumulated expertise and knowledge as essential partners in the development journey.

She added: "The Community Development Authority's efforts are based on a comprehensive vision that places senior citizens at the heart of developmental work, through developing policies and initiatives that enhance their quality of life and reinforce their role in transferring values and expertise between generations. Our cooperation with strategic partners, including Dubai Police, embodies Dubai's approach of institutional integration in building a safe and supportive community environment that protects the rights of senior citizens and upholds their dignity, in line with the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 aimed at fostering a more cohesive, sustainable, and high-quality society."

National Responsibility
The forum included two main sessions. The first, ‘Protection of Older Persons within the Framework of International Legislation’, was presented by Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Ali Mohammed Juma Al Matrooshi, Director of the Child and Women Protection Department at Dubai Police's General Department of Human Rights. The second, ‘Protection of Senior Citizens and Older Persons’, was presented by Ms. Fatima Atiq Al Subousi, Head of the Senior Citizens Protection Section at the Community Development Authority.

Lt. Col. Dr. Ali Mohammed Juma Al Matrooshi pointed out that protecting senior citizens and older persons is a shared community and national responsibility requiring the cooperation of all entities and individuals to raise awareness about them. He noted that the UAE has given great attention to this group through an integrated system of legislation, policies, and initiatives that ensure them a dignified and safe life.

He said: "Dubai Police, through the General Department of Human Rights, is committed to raising community awareness of the rights of senior citizens and older persons, educating about the various forms of abuse they may face and ways to prevent them, and promoting a culture of respect, care, and gratitude to this group that has contributed to building and developing society. We believe that prevention begins with awareness, and that partnership with relevant entities contributes to providing a supportive and safe environment that ensures they enjoy their full rights and uphold their human dignity."

Al Matrooshi affirmed that organising this forum is part of Dubai Police's ongoing efforts to disseminate legal and social knowledge related to the rights of older persons and highlight best practices and international legislation that enhance their protection and enable them to play an active role in society.

Shared Responsibility
Meanwhile, Fatima Al Subousi, Head of the Senior Citizens Protection Section at the Community Development Authority in Dubai, affirmed that protecting senior citizens and older persons is a shared community responsibility that requires raising awareness of their rights and embedding a culture of respect and appreciation for their contributions to building society.

She said: "The Community Development Authority is committed to developing an integrated system of initiatives and services that support the quality of life of senior citizens and enhance their integration and active participation in society, based on our belief that empowering them and upholding their dignity is a fundamental pillar in building a cohesive and compassionate society. The Authority also continues to work with its strategic partners to raise awareness of various forms of abuse and ways to prevent them, contributing to providing a safe and supportive environment that protects the rights of senior citizens and meets their current and future needs."