Abu Dhabi: Members of the Federal National Council approved articles of the new draft law on child rights, prohibiting the employment and work of children aged below 15, guided by standards adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The draft law states the minimum age for work should not be below the age for finishing compulsory schooling, which is generally 15.
However, children between the ages of 13 and 15 may do light work, as long as it does not threaten their health and safety, or hinder their education or vocational orientation and training, according to the draft law.
Raising children with or without religion was among a heated debate between the members of the FNC and Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs.
Members insisted children be raised with religion, but Al Roumi favoured giving space to parents who wish to raise their children without religion.
Eventually, the members voted for changing the draft law to make it mandatory for parents to raise ethical, caring children with religion. The clause is introduced in at least three articles of the law.
The members spent a lot of time introducing an article demanding that authorities provide working mothers with all facilities required to protect their children physically and psychologically and against other dangers including sexual abuse.
They spent an hour debating what these facilities are and how housewives can be covered, but eventually yielded to a request from the Minister of Social Affairs to remove the article given it is irrelevant and addressed in other laws.
source: gulfnews
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