Oman's new Child Law set up to protect children

Muscat: Oman's Ministry of Social Development has issued the executive regulations of the Child Law, which includes child protection, setting up a nursery, and regulations for the adoption of children.

Article 2 of the Child Protection stipulated, "public and private educational institutions must provide medical aid and have a qualified nurse to do so, as well as maintain a health record for each child, and commit to implement school health programmes approved by the Ministry of Health and provide safety and security for children."

Article 5 read, "no examination or therapeutic intervention of the child shall be made in health institutions without the presence of a companion with the child, except in cases of emergency determined by the doctor on duty."

The law added a list of traditional practices that harm the child, including the practice of any rituals that lead to harm or mutilated the child's body or caused his/her death. The executive regulation also stipulated the prohibition of the employment of children under 15 years.

Article 10 states, "They may only be employed in agricultural, fishing, industrial, handicraft and administrative works, provided that the work is within the same family, which includes the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother and brothers, male and female."

"The employer must conduct a medical examination of the child before his employment and periodically every six months and at the end of service to ensure his safety," the article added.