Members of Sharjah Children Parliament will discuss the impact of bullying on children’s health at the 3rd session of the 16th meeting, to be held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of Rubu' Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, in Sharjah, on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The meeting is being organised under the theme ‘Leadership Through Community Service’.

The session will be held under the title ‘Let us unite as friends against bullying’  with the participation of Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA); Hind Al Badwawi, Psychological Counsellor at the Judicial Department – Abu Dhabi; and Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director of Child Safety Department (CSD), Sharjah, along with 60 members of the Sharjah Children Parliament.

Aysha Ali Al Kaabi, Acting Director of Sharjah Children, said: “Through the third session, we aim to continue enabling children to identify and discuss topics and issues that are important to them. This  session will focus on raising awareness about bullying, especially among younger children, and highlight its negative impact on individuals and the community as a whole, and the ways of tackling it. The third session will also focus on instilling virtues and good values to raise a generation that is tolerant and aware.”

Earlier, Sharjah Children organised a workshop in cooperation with the Child Safety Department, an affiliate of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, at the Al Dhaid Children Center in preparation for the third session, Presented by Hind Al Badwawi, the workshop taught participants how to identify if someone was being bullied, the different types of bullying and how to differentiate it from violence. Attendees discussed with the presenter ways of tackling the issue of bullying through programmes and smart applications.

Hind Al Badwawi, who holds a postgraduate degree in cognitive behavioural therapy from the University of Victoria in New Zealand, has received many awards.

Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director of CSD at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, holds a Bachelor's degree  in Mass Communication/Media Studies from Dubai Women's College, and a Diploma in Child Protection from Sharjah University.

Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Private Education Authority, has held several senior positions in education and health institutions, including Director of Sharjah Women's College at the Higher Colleges of Technology and Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City. She received her PhD in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center, a Master's degree in Medical Laboratory Science, and a Bachelor’s in Medical Technology from the University of Minnesota.