Executive Regulation of the Child Protection Law

Purpose and scope

• The Executive Regulation of the Child Protection Law, detailing the duties of government bodies, families, schools and the media in protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and the procedures for reporting and investigation.

Key rules, rights and obligations

• A child may not be denied education even if a parent has a nationality, residence or identity problem, and no administrative step may prevent school entry at the legal age (Article 3).
• A child must receive the required vaccinations, and this falls on the parents or custodian (Article 3).
• A child has the right to protection from economic exploitation and from any work that is dangerous, hinders education or harms health and development (Article 8).
• Selling tobacco to children or using them to advertise it is prohibited, and relatives and others dealing with a child must not smoke in their presence (Article 11).
• Any medical intervention on a foetus is prohibited except for medical benefit or necessity (Article 14).
• Soft drinks and energy drinks may not be sold in schools, and children's food may not be advertised before registration and licensing (Article 17).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• A child found begging or exploited in unlawful work is referred to the investigating authority for action against those responsible (Article 4).
• When a child escapes parental control or runs away repeatedly, a social and psychological assessment is made and the parents are summoned (Article 4).
• Abuse and neglect cases are referred to the Public Prosecution, and investigation takes place with a lawyer, the guardian and a multidisciplinary team present (Article 22).

Procedures and key deadlines

• Anyone who learns of abuse or neglect of a child must report it immediately to the reporting centre on the unified number, and every public or private body must inform the ministry at once (Article 21).
• Urgent cases are referred immediately to the security authorities, and the reporter's identity is kept confidential (Article 21).
• The Public Prosecution requests a ministry report on the child's situation, which goes with the case to the competent court (Article 22).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.