Amendments to Child Law proposed

During a meeting chaired by the Chairperson of Women and Children Affairs Committee Hala Ramzi Fayez, the panel agreed to amend Law no 37 of 2012 in the Child Law.

The proposal seeks to amend some of the materials contained in the law with an addition of new phrases to the law as well as adding a section about the usage of social media, which prohibits using social networking tools that encourage temptation and moral deviation.

There will also be an amendment about government agencies handling the law in this matter in addition to changing some of the semantics behind the law and adding the term of economic exploitation.

The committee stressed that the proposed amendment is aimed at developing the Child Law to ensure greater protection of children’s rights and protecting them from the growing influence of technology and social media as it requires legal provisions of prohibiting such practices to avoid the exploitation of a child that could have their education and future affected.

The committee emphasised the adoption of this amended law as it highlights the importance of revising and developing laws and regulations involved in the field of protecting women and children, taking into account development of the community with its traditions raised by the people of Bahrain as well as keeping with treaties and conventions.

The panel decided to refer its revised law to Shura Council’s Bureau in order to present it to Shura Council members in one of the public hearings.