ABU DHABI, 2nd June, 2022 (WAM) — H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, delivered a keynote speech at the World Summit “WeProtect”, which was held in Brussels, Belgium, on June 1-2, to discuss ways to enhance international cooperation and coordination in the fields of child protection and dignity through the digital world.
Sheikh Saif said that the health and safety of any child are “crucial to the development and upbringing of a normal family and society. All of us must be keen to provide a healthy and safe environment for children, so that they become positive and active individuals in their communities.
“With the challenges of modern technologies in abundance, it is necessary that we act decisively to eliminate the phenomenon of online child sexual exploitation to ensure their safety and security.”
Children, he continued, are the bright future that lies ahead. “Protecting and supporting them must be a top priority for us, as well as for policy makers and decision makers.”
Sheikh Saif added, “President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stressed that protecting the rights of children and ensuring their proper upbringing will always rank high among the UAE’s priorities. For this reason, we are required to secure a supportive and child-friendly digital environment. The family’s role is always an essential element for the success of all these efforts. Our joint and close cooperation with the global coalition “We Protect” since hosting its second summit in Abu Dhabi in 2015 gave birth to the National Strategy for Child Protection on the Internet. The Strategy bolstered our efforts to combat the sexual exploitation of children, a crime totally against morals, humanity and religions.”
The future of this world, he continued, “relies on the future of our children. This has always been our firm belief. Our fathers created a positive and safe environment for us, and we should do the same for our children.”
He called for taking advantage of this momentous gathering to come up with clear recommendations and obligations, for the good of our children and the children of the world at large.
Global summits are a unique opportunity for Alliance members from industry, governments, civil society and international organisations to come together to share learnings, agree collaborative solutions and reaffirm commitments to take action.
During the 2022 Turning the Tide Global Summit, delegates hear from global leaders and experts with a role to play in protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation online
Ministers from across the Alliance shared learning from their national experience of addressing child sexual abuse online and highlight progress being made globally in recognising,
stopping and preventing this crime.
A panel discussion titled ”Setting the scene – the threats children face online”, and breakout sessions on National responses to child sexual abuse online; Protecting children in the Age of AI
and Prevention and deterrence of offending behaviour were held.