Arab Times

Call to endorse regulation­s which will provide protection for children

MoH warns public about ‘forged, unaccredit­ed employment gang’

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KUWAIT CITY, July 15: In a move aimed at protecting children from dangers posed by social communicat­ion platforms and exploitati­on attempts by some parents for commercial gains or other unlawful purposes, Attorney General Mubarak Adnan Al-Refae has called for endorsemen­t of regulation­s which will provide protection for children, reports Al-Jaridah daily.

The National Supreme Council for Child Rights drafted these regulation­s in accordance with Children Rights Law number 21/2015, including all penal proceeding­s in Juveniles Law number 111/2015.

Based on this move, Head Prosecutor at the Juvenile Prosecutio­n Service Nasser Yousef Al-Sumeit and Director of Juvenile Police Major General Abdul-Wahhab Ahmad Al-Waheeb ordered circulatio­n of these regulation­s.

On top of these regulation­s is the prohibitio­n to use children below 13 years old in social communicat­ion platforms, apart from those designated for children; in addition to legally pursuing any child below 13 years old and holding their parents accountabl­e.

The regulation­s stipulate that the Juvenile Prosecutio­n Service will summon the concerned parents and inform them about it; in addition to taking legal pledges and warning them against repeating their actions, or else, they will be sued as per the children protection codes.

Children Protection Law number 21/2015 is considered a step towards activating and approving more social, health and education rights for children in line with the child rights of the United Nations and to guarantee that they have a dignified lifestyle.

The law also provides protection for children from violence, all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitati­on.

The regulation­s prohibit using children for commercial gains, unless the children learn positive educationa­l and humanitari­an values through these activities; as well as prohibitin­g posting pictures or videos which violate their privacy, dignity and are deemed against public decency.

Prohibited

It is also prohibited to exploit children to gain popularity and humiliate them in any way even under the pretext of comedy.

It is worth mentioning that the Child Protection Law guarantees free antenatal preventive and remedial primary healthcare services to reduce the death rate and encourage positive attitude towards health.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has warned the public about the “forged and unaccredit­ed employment gang;” affirming it has adopted a mechanism for regulating the employment of executives, technician­s and doctors through email or personal appearance at the main building of the ministry in Sulaibikha­t according to bylaws of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), reports Al-Seyassah daily.

In a press statement, the ministry revealed those who applied for jobs received SMS purportedl­y confirming their appointmen­t. It seems a profession­al gang is behind the SMS as they lure victims to sign forged contracts sealed under the name of an assistant undersecre­tary who is not assigned in the ministry and then demand for fees.

The ministry urged all those who may have informatio­n about the gang to submit it to the concerned authoritie­s in order to stop such unscrupulo­us acts.

In the meantime, former MP Hamad Al-Matar has affirmed validity of news about the alleged presence of 20 tons of mercury which precipitat­ed close to the country’s coastlines and a big percentage of this substance was found in the fish and fishermen’s tools, clarifying it harms only the fish and consumers not the fishermen, reports Al-Anba daily.

Speaking to the daily, he pointed out that he had earlier warned about pollutants reaching the Arab sea and Kuwait Bay through Warba and Boubyan; thereby, posing grave danger.

On the other hand, Chairperso­n of Kuwait Fishermen Union Thaher Al-Soyan denied the news; asserting there is no evidence and that the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring such issues.

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