Child maltreatment prevention readiness in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the level of child maltreatment prevention (CMP) readiness in United Arab Emirates (UAE) using the Readiness Assessment for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment, which comprises 10 dimensions. The study was conducted with 45 key informants with leadership positions in different governmental and non-governmental institutions in the field of child maltreatment, who have a strong influence on CMP in UAE. There is a moderate CMP readiness level in UAE, which was shown in most dimensions, with a total score of 55.6 out of 100. The informants scored high (≥5) in child maltreatment legislation, mandates, and policies (8.94), followed by institutional resources and links (7.61), will to address the problem (6.33), knowledge of CMP (6.27), attitudes towards CMP (5.44), implementation of current programs (5.22), and informal social resources (5.05). However, participants scored low (<5) in human and technical resources (2.05), scientific data on CMP (4.16), and material resources (4.61). The findings indicate that UAE need to work on capacity building in the field of CMP to coordinate and combine the efforts of all the relevant organizations to increase funding and availability of professionals and data in the child maltreatment field as well as advocates and volunteers who can help to implement better action plans and more effective large-scale prevention programs.