Dubai:The Community Development Authority, in cooperation with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and in celebration of World Children's Day, successfully organized a virtual session for the National Bullying Prevention Program. The online event was participated in by representatives from UNICEF, several educational institutions in the UAE and members of the community. 

The online session aimed towards increasing awareness about the negative effects of bullying--looking to draw attention on the impact it has on today's children and their various stages of growth. The meeting served as a strategic platform to discuss and recommend solutions, adopt practices and identify common types and causes of bullying. Participants discussed the creation of sustainable behavioral treatment plans to protect victims of bullying and how to effect behavioral changes in bullies, transforming their aggression into a more friendly and peaceful attitude towards their peers. 

The participants of the session gathered together online to learn more about various aspects of bullying such as the types of children who are most vulnerable to bullying; signs that indicate a child is being or has been bullied; the reasons that lead the bully to this behavior; and the impact of children’s bullying behavior on their surrounding environments. Participants also received comprehensive booklets that were created to help raise awareness on this issue and help in dealing with such incidents early on before it turns into a major problem that will affect the child.

Maitha Al Shamsi, CEO, Human Rights Sector- CDA, said, “Being bullied is one of the most serious and highly alarming topics concerning our children today. All of our children are exposed to it--in one way or another through some form of teasing or harassment from peers. Some children may not be seriously affected by it but there are cases where the impact on the victim is very serious that it has affected their personality, leaving them with an impact that will thoroughly affect their lives in the long term.” 

 “Today, as we join the whole world in celebration of International Children's Day, which falls annually on November 20 of every year, we are raising awareness on the consequences of bullying, how to prevent it and how to show ways to encourage children to be mentally strong so that they are not easily affected by bullying. These aspects are important in a child’s upbringing. Also, treating the bullying behavior requires awareness and deep knowledge of the root causes and their impacts on the child’s personality, as no child is born a bully,” she added.

Al Shamsi continued, “Addressing and dealing with this behavioral problem is a social responsibility and everyone involved in a child’s life has an important role to play in it, including parents, teachers, social workers, or community members. It is best to remember that a child may fall victim to bullying because of differences in their appearance or capabilities.”

“We are pleased with our highly fruitful cooperation with the Community Development Authority in Dubai, and sincerely applaud its initiatives to raise awareness on the menace of bullying in connection with the World Children’s Day 2020. UNICEF has developed an integrated program to prevent bullying in schools, which is a pioneer program in the region that has its results published worldwide. We are glad to see the Bullying Prevention Week being observed in the UAE every year,” said Eltayeb Adam, UNICEF Representative in the Gulf Area. 
He concluded: “UNICEF continues to work with all stakeholders to promote a safe learning environment for every child and ensure children’s welfare, rights and protection, which is a vision we share with the UAE’s wise leadership.”       
Those who wish to learn more about bullying and ways to address it can avail of CDA’s brochures in both Arabic and English from its website www.cda.gov.ae