Thursday 13 / March / 2025
Muscat: A national plan should be formulated by the government to raise awareness about children’s rights, the head of Oman’s Public Prosecution has told Majlis Al Shura members.
Addressing the Shura on Saturday, Mohammed Al Marzouqi, head of the Public Prosecution, said teachers and children should be encouraged to report any signs of trauma or abuse.
According to the Shura Council’s online report of the meeting, Al Marzouqi said some teachers were hesitant to report cases involving children to social workers.
“Who gave them the right to hide what can, if revealed, protect a child’s safety?” Al Marzouqi asked members, before urging authorities to formulate a national plan to increase awareness on the issue.
Victims of bullying or assault at schools should dial the free number 80077444 and report it, an official of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said.
More than 2,000 crimes were committed by juveniles in Oman in the last five years, according to the ROP. Some 35 per cent of those crimes were either theft or attempted robbery, the ROP official revealed during the Shura Council discussion.
Further, approximately 18 per cent of the arrested juveniles are expatriates, it was reported.
In 2015, 506 juvenile delinquents were arrested for a variety of offences, some of which are more commonly associated with adult, or career criminals.
In 2014, 423 juveniles found themselves on the wrong side of the law, according to data from the Juvenile Affairs Department at the Ministry of Social Development.
Experts, however, blame social media for the 20 per cent increase and have been busy tackling the problem.
“We are expecting a decrease in the number of juveniles in 2016, as we are raising awareness to let people know that whatever is sent by them through smart phones can be used against them,” Mohammed Salim Al Nomani, an official at the Juveniles Affairs Department, told the Times of Oman earlier this year.
He said that mothers and fathers need to spend quality time with their children, and not just buy them material goods. The data reveals no distinction between children of rich families and the less fortunate ones in juvenile centre.
Recently, the Juvenile Affairs Department launched a programme to train juveniles to take on jobs. “We train them to work in mechanics, oil, and administrative sectors,” he added.
The number of juvenile delinquents in the Sultanate has decreased, from 880 in 2010 to 423 in 2014.
In 2015, 481 of those detained were boys, and only 25 were girls. Of the total, 30 were non-Omanis.
Currently, juveniles in Oman are sent to the Central Jail in Samail.
The ROP has been regularly urging parents to exercise better control over their children’s electronic devices and protect them from online stalkers – and temptations.
