B&W Jan 2019 edition

VOL. 1 •ISSUE 80

Positive results from MoSD children programmes: Dr Yahya Al Hinai - Pg31

18 JUMADA AL-AWWAL

Even the unborn child has rights: Dr Obaid Al Shaqsi - Pg34

FREE MONTHLY

Read more and never be afraid to innovate: Sayyida Mona - Pg36

Oman's efforts in promoting child rights is laudable: Lana Wreikat - Pg40

JANUARY 25, 2019

Right to be happy – most important for a child: Shununa Al-Habsi - Pg43

BLACK & WHITE

P4 January 2019

P5 P9 P 10 –11 P 12 P 13 P 14 –15 P 21 P 23 P 24 – 26 P 27 P 28 –49 P 50 –51 P 52 – 53 P 54 P 55 P 56 P 57 P 58 – 59 P 62

P 24-26

– First Draft – Oman Forward – Why men seek approval of women?

– The Human Journey – Sunny Side Up – Citylights – If Words Could Talk – Words of Wisdom – Muscat Festival – In Black & White – Cover Story – Child First – Planner 2019 – More women into smoking – Upside Down & Inside Out – Serious Musings – Cooking – Horoscope – Girl Rising – The Good Side

P 28 – 49

Cover Photo: Hisham Al Riyami Editorial Disclaimer: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Black and White Media.

Black and White Media makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

Black and White Media reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner it sees fit comments that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, or is otherwise unacceptable.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published by: Black and White Media and Services LLC Postal address: P O Box 4111, PC 112, Ruwi, Oman.

Office: Hatat House A, II Floor, Suite No: 212, Wadi Adai.

Ph: +968 24565697 Fax: 24565496 Website: www.blackandwhiteoman.com Editorial: editor@blackandwhiteoman.com Printed at Muscat Printing Press

Editor-in-chief Managing editor Work editor Design & production Lensmen

Maimuna Al-Sulaimani Priya Arunkumar Adarsh Madhavan Beneek Sirajudeen Najib Al Balushi Hisham Al Riyami

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

January 2019

P5

How does it feel to hold the revamped B&W in your hands?

By Adarsh Madhavan

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F there were no limits to what we can do, we should be able to do anything, right?

If there were no limits – imagine how our life would turn out to be!

This is the adage that we tried to apply with Black & White the moment we took the decision to revamp it. Revamp…? Well, not just revamp, we decided to relaunch our magazine.

DREAM BIG But before we did all that, we just let our imaginations run wild. We told ourselves that it was time we gave up our fears; it’s time that we dared; or rather, it’s high time that we dare to dream big and stopped being petty and small and stuck in this mire we have got ourselves in.

Okay, we have our own run of problems. We have people hounding us; we are battling legalities; our hearts pound at each simple knock at the door; we walk through a maze of infernal curses; painful reprimands and dire threats. We see the far side of the moon everyday and we have touched rock bottom and beyond.

Now, frankly, there is nowhere to go; there is no clear solution in sight and this dark tunnel looks endlessly paved with a stretch of sinisterlooking blackness…

So, what to do now? Should we wrap it up? Should we fold the towel and should we close shop, pack our bags?

Quit?

We let loose a volley of queries to

ourselves: should we let all of these problems drag us down? Should we be blinded by the ugliness of our current existence and destroy the clear and beautiful vision within us?

Shouldn’t we shrug off the vermin creatures that still want to drink the blood from even our spiritless souls?

Shouldn’t we just shrug like Atlas and move right on ahead?

Yes, our hands are full (with problems). We are loaded! Our backs are breaking!

But, aren’t there people out there in the same boat? Or maybe even worse: they are sinking?

When the boat sinks, shouldn’t we swim to the shore? Or, should we just sink with the dead (weight of our problems)?

Wait, there’s more to life than problems!

Yes, our eyes have opened to the fact that we should not settle any less than what B&W is worth!

STARTING ANEW So, after certain ruminations, here we are before you with the same innocence we had when we began in 2009. We want to start anew. We want to retain the essence of B&W, which is quintessentially Oman and all things Omani but perhaps with a slight international twist.

LOCAL YET GLOBAL We decided to go loglo (eh?!)

– that is, we are: local as well as global. We remain true to Oman, rooted to the ground, but we don’t mind reaching to the world and also inviting all of you out there to participate. We are not going to tell

you now or how, but as we go on, you will find out. You will experience it! You will be part of it!

This element would run like a recurring theme across our revamped output(s), the first of which we hope you are holding in your hands now.

HAND-IN-HAND TOWARDS THE HORIZON Everything, from a set of columns, which would cover local, regional and international angles; with our prime focus on Unique Oman of course, plus, being fully immersed in social change and championing causes and as equally promoting all things good, big or small, we will not be isolating ourselves from you, but, instead, doing everything possible to link with you, come closer to you and hold your hands as we walk jointly towards the new horizon.

Together!

So, shall we?

editor@blackandwhiteoman.com

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BLACK & WHITE

P6 January 2019

Khalil Al Khonji – former president of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, now, chairman of the Muscat University; well-known businessman.

Bikram Vohra – former resident editor of The Illustrated Weekly; Sunday Standard and Indian Express. Resident of Gulf since 1984; relaunched Gulf News as managing editor; three tenures at Khaleej Times as editor, City Times editor and consultant. Set up Gulf Today, was editor of Bahrain Tribune and also ran Middle East Aviation Journal.

Colonel Abdulwahab Abdulkarim Al Balushi (retd) – former senior member of the police force; former general manager security and facilitation Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC); former acting general manager of Muscat International Airport. Trainer, coach and motivational speaker.

Hatim Harith Al Abdissalaam -- motivational speaker and youth influencer; radio and TV host. CSR Projects In Charge at the Oman LNG Development Foundation; board member of Islamic Information Center.

Sitara Morgenster – former writer and reporter - under the name Marja Kooreman - for newspapers and magazines in both Dutch and English for over 30 years; currently settled in New Zealand and works as a writer, tutor, mosaic artist and community support worker.

Nasra Al Adawi -- published poet of humanitarian and charitable concerns. Nasra’s poetry is an art that can be merged with other artistic media; it only needs a touch of originality and creativity.

Dr Amita N. Vyas – associate professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health; director of the maternal and child health programme at GW. Founder: Global India Fund, a non-profit organisation that inspires global philanthropy and service by supporting innovative health and education programmes in India; co producer of Girl Rising India (national campaign on girls’ education and gender equality). Champion for women, children, and families in the United States and globally.

P8 January 2019

BLACK & WHITE

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

January 2019

P9

Changing the mindset

By Khalil Al Khonji

T

RANSFORMATION! Transformation as a socioeconomic movement has the potential to bring about positive, vibrant, vision-driven and groundbreaking success in business practices. The implementation of the ideas generated by the Transformation Movement requires, above all else, a new outlook and perspective in the business mindset.

Over a period of years, few people have understood the need for a Transformational Movement in the market. Oman needs to realise that evolving corporate legislation will enforce stability through more accountability, structure and cooperation. In essence, we have been given a more stable platform for greater creativity, success and reliable growth. The business community’s response has been a gradual, but fundamental, shift in strategy, operations and worldview.

The Transformational Movement is not, however, specific to Oman.

Indeed, markets around the globe following the principles of this Movement have benefited from the positive results. They have introduced transformational changes, which saw a shift in business mindset, a better level of organisational principles, and more accountable business conduct, all of which are designed to support a new business, and larger economic, direction.

CHANGING THE MINDSET At the regular meetings of Majlis Al Khonji, business community members andothers meet to discuss general progress and generate ideas that

may lead to yet more progress. The conversations support the exploration of new thoughts, ideas, principles – all with an intent to progress and strengthen our business community.

And we are making progress!

At Majlis Al Khonji, we strive to meet the need for an open forum in which Omanis and non-Omanis alike may discuss issues in the economy, ways to improve business conditions, possible means to support the larger business community and to promote public initiatives and progressive economic and business concepts for society’s greater benefit.

Our philosophy is that socioeconomic progressiveness is based on societal mindset. As the world changes, the ability of the local community, both Omanis and residents, to adapt, cooperate and to be responsive for the benefit of our economic community is critical.

These characteristics start with progressive thinking and lead to positive transformation which leads to sustainable economic prosperity.

MAJLIS KHONJI The idea of the Majlis as an open forum to promote community well-being and progress is not new. My grandfather, a well-known businessman, started commenced the first session of Majlis Khonji in the 1920s. He and my father understood, and taught me, that success in any business collaboration will ultimately depend on the health of the businesscommunity at large: one supports one’s own business by supporting the business community.

Taking my family principles forward following my academic graduation in 1986, I included business people

from other markets to better understand what opportunities may be introduced to economy and our society, and make it a point to adapt my perspective on socio economic issues when doing so would promote positive transformation . This openness remains an important feature of Majlis Khonji.

We bring in speakers from all walks of life to reflect on societies and changes brought in by transforming individuals. From Majlis Khonji, we move the meetings to different destinations for greater public access. For example, we recently had an illuminating discussion on the non-violence teachings of Mahatma Gandhi at Muscat University by Abdul Nabhi Al-Shula (who has written an interesting book – ‘Gandhi and Arab and Muslim Issues’ -and earlier we have visited the Botanical gardens, Oman French Museum, Alsadia School and Sidab women handicrafts etc.

Our commitment to progressive socio-economic development through open communication, adaptive thinking and support for the business community by offering a multitude of perspectives plays a part of the Transformational Movement as we see it in action here.

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P10 January 2019

FOR HIM

BLACK & WHITE

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

FOR HIM

January 2019 P11

STOP SEEKING

approval of women Why do a man always need the approval of women? Or, was it the other way around?

No, let us stick to the first. Men do need the approval of their women or women in general.

Especially when they are in a relationship.

P

SYHCOLOGISTS often give free rein to men and allow them a certain amount of approval seeking from their women when in a relationship. But, they stress that when it gets out of control, it can push them to the brink and cause them plenty of pain. Extreme levels of approval seeking men may themselves spring out of control; their mental and emotional wellbeing will turn topsyturvey.

Why is it that big, strong, lumbering men suddenly turn into weak-kneed, indecisive, innerbawling kids when they are with their women? Suddenly you will find all that macho-driven, testosterone ridden, aggressive and brawny men dissolve into needy, submissive, weak willed, uncertain, vulnerable weaklings who are on their knees seeking the approval of their women on almost everything.

MEN TURN INTO CHAMELEONS Studies note that men turn into chameleons and seem to adapt their behaviour to their women’s needs. In the sense, they will tune into their lady’s vibe and display behaviour that which she approves.

You may not be willing to admit it that you are a closet approval seeker, but then, at least agree that you have met men like this; men who are shackled by the need for approval.

The idea behind this piece is to make you understand it (even if you

are not willing to admit you are one of them) and allow you to take the stance of not denying it and start growing up.

INGRAINED FROM CHILDHOOD Maybe you also need to know where you acquired this behavioural anomaly. It should have begun from childhood when the first seeds were planted. How? Probably emulating a male parent figure who obviously had the same traits and exhibited them without thinking how damaging it was for his son.

In those early stages you learned how to cope and from there began this slow trek of approval seeking where you did everything to placate your mother and with whom you studiously avoided being browbeaten by her anger or unhappiness. Fine. There you survived. There you coped.

You learnt to please because it was important that you pull through the travails of childhood and teenage. But when you become an adult and still display such an unwanted trait, it may slowly get to you. You don’t just become a woman pleaser. You turn into a crowd pleaser. But, there should be a way to become more loving, more caring, more considerate and more respectful and respected a husband or a partner than to just be a fulltime approval seeking wimp.

STOP PLAYING IT SAFE For that you have to take a quick

look at yourself. You are, after all, a man. If you fear confrontation with your loved one, fine. But, don’t take it to extreme levels.

Unless and until you become what you are, which can be only gained when you begin to be a man who stops playing it safe; start doing things you are passionate about; start to display feelings in a true and frank manner and also learn to say and do things in a manner that is neither arrogant nor a mere display of confidence unstrung.

RESPECT YOUR OWN OPINION You have to stop believing that because you think differently to her does not mean that one of you is right and the other wrong.

Let her have her own opinion.

Respect that. But, be in a position to respect your own opinion too.

You have to respect your own views, your own ideas and give a free rein to your thoughts and needs and passions.

In all honesty, you don’t need the approval of anyone. Of course, the love and affection and warmth and encouragement from your better half maybe the real approvals you need to pull through life.

But that does not mean you have to get their approval at all times and you also have to bail out your own beliefs or your own emotional needs. Failing to tackle such mindless approval seeking behaviour can lead to even an emotional disorder, experts say.

BLACK & WHITE

P12 January 2019

Experiences of the past

By Colonel Abdul Wahab Al Balushi (Retd)

L

IFE is a journey. So, let’s begin with a journey. A journey into the human mind.

Let us embark on a journey back into the past and try to understand why we are what we are. Let us ask the questions that we need to ask ourselves; let us stop for a moment and then head back to what we were.

Why do we think or speak or eat or drink in a certain way; why do we dress the way we do? Why do we behave in a certain manner?

Why are we possessive? Why do we feel the need to own, to collect to aqcuire?

Simple questions.

But hasn’t the time come for us to think why? So let us pause and think for a moment: what are we made of? Let us go back into human history.

Why have we inherited a certain way of thinking and doing? Is it because we have always been that way or is there any other reason? Have we been like this for generations? What was shaping our thoughts and views? Are all our thoughts and views shaped by what we have been exposed to and influenced by?

Have we reviewed the experiences of the ones whom we were influenced by? What if the experiences were different?

Humanity is one Of course, we are all one. We are cut from the same human

cloth. But if we have to understand who we are and what we are, we need to understand ourselves and our past. So, let us go back.

Experiences of the past The past follows. It is very true when we say we are what we are made of by all those who lived before us and helped the mankind evolve.

Our ancestors lived well before us; they learned the laws of life, created a niche of a life that was created from their lifestyles. Evolution is the product of a slow, ever-changing process precipitated by a host of environmental factors.

To actually comprehend the foundation of early man’s thinking, we need to start at one of the most confounding principles of human thought: the origins of human thoughts/ intelligence.

That’s to say, when did we start being aware and taking intellectual decisions that carved out a path for the future lifestyles?

It is the thought that shaped our lives individually and socially, collectively; and the thoughts that shape us today are the thoughts that were put in by our ancestors hundreds of years ago. Yes, we are just a sum of all our human thoughts put together. It definitely was not an instantaneous moment when humans emerged and started thinking consciously and rationally.

Ask questions Never accept your existence as a take away. They say the average

human brain and functions are the same for every living being.

What would differentiate between us living beings are the thought processes. The best way to live is to ask questions. We are all given a pre-set life, patternised by hundreds of years. And we did not become what we are without being curious and learning.

I am sure, long, long ago, one of our ancestors must have thought of choosing a definite direction for him and set out… without a wrist watch, without the daily three preset meals, without a career consultation and age limit. Look at yourself today; this must have been his doing, which triggered very many hundreds of years.

So ask yourself, do you actually need three meals with set names and timings?

Is there a possibility you can stop every pre-set conditioning and look at a new you without inhibitions, limitations, conditions and restrictions?

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January 2019 P13

KIDNAPPED: Does anyone care what happened to Rohit, Shilpi And Vikesh?

O

By Bikram Vohra

N a visit to Delhi very recently I happened upon a small ad with a blurred photograph of three children aged 6,8 and 10. The legend on the top said Missing.

The three small children reportedly left their home that Monday evening at 7 pm and had not been seen then. Their photographs have been published in the paper by the fathers who are both brothers and share the surname Rawat.

According to reports the New Friends Colony police station finally took cognizance of the disappearance after local residents of Taimoor Nagar and Chittragaon demanded some action. In these heartbreaking circumstances the slowness of the response needs to be addressed. If our children are not safe who is?

How much of the system will be activated for Vikesh, Shilpi and Rohit to ensure that they are not already in the child slavery pipeline?

I wrote the piece and sent it to half a dozen outlets. It got the lowest priority.

It was a non story, happened all the time. More than appalled I pushed one editor to carry something. He said the incident was so common that it would not get any traction at all. It just has no news value. I am thinking of these three frightened kids pulled out of the security of their home, now abused and used by strange individuals and our general approach to children’s safety.

Even the media is jaded.

The atmosphere in Taimoor is stressed and tense and one of deep despair. Unlike the 24/7 helplines we watch on TV shows like Law

and Order in reality it is a lot more frustrating when it comes down to hunt.

The ‘Save the Children’ foundation has called for an end to child exploitation by 2030.

It is committed to ensuring that violence against children is no longer tolerated and that the most vulnerable children around the world are protected. They intend to do this by: Strengthening families and caregivers with the knowledge and skills to protect children; Working with governments to develop and implement protective policies for children; Supporting relevant duty bearers and other partners, like social workers, clinic staff, teachers, and police, to effectively implement and coordinate appropriate services for children; and listening to and involving children in their own protection.

Were these three children so armed? The answer is a resounding no. According to the National Human Rights Commission of India, 40,000 children are abducted each year. Of these as many as 11,000 remain untraced. NGOs estimate that 12,000-50,000 women and children are trafficked into the country annually from neighboring states for the sex trade.

In the past five years child abductions have doubled. The National Crimes Bureau Record shows a steep increase of 60 percent in kidnappings indicating not just the cruel fact that there is an ugly market out there but the need for a proper squad to deal with this grotesque dimension in our society.

Attacking strangers who happen to be in the vicinity or engaging in a mob

inspired lynching is not the answer.

It has to be founded in community awareness and a neighbourhood watch.

In a very popular travel blog for western tourists Shalu Sharma writes: About 11 children are kidnapped in India every hour of the day of which half of them are never found. Child trafficking is the third largest profitable industry of the world and India seems to be in the thick of it. India is not only the source, but a destination and transit point for this heinous crime.

Your guess to what happens to these abducted children is as good as mine.

To be used as prostitutes; the biggest reasons for child abduction, child abuse and sexual exploitation; organ trade and harvesting, ransom, as the Indian economy booms so does rise in child abduction; human sacrifice, Used as forced labour, domestic servants, to work in factories.

Used as beggars by gangs after hands and legs are chopped off, child trafficking to international borders, forced into marriages, illegal adoption, medical trials; shipped and used as child soldiers.

What greater indictment of ourselves that with such a dubious distinction we do not have a special victims unit for our children.

My story went unpublished. Not enough public interest. Goes with the territory.

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BLACK & WHITE

P14 January 2019

CITY-LIGHTS RENT ‘A FRUSTRATION’!

Dial 993*****.

We wait.

No reply.

We dial the other number.

Still, no reply.

We dial again.

We sigh.

Then we dial the office number.

It says you have reached the office of so and so. Please press 1 for something, 2 for another thing, 3 for yet another thing and so on…

Instead we press 0 and wait.

Tingalingalingalingaling…

Finally, after the nth try, someone comes online and says nothing.

By this time we have forgotten what we called for.

We quickly retrace our steps, grab our breath and say: Hi, we are before your building in Darsait, there was this number there for rent…

Where?

Oh where the heck was it?

Oh yes, Darsait.

Okay?

Is there a room for rent?

Yes. Okay, we are looking for a onebedroom flat.

One bedroom? We have two bedrooms and three bedrooms…

Oh. You don’t have one bedrooms at all? Any other area?

She goes off the line and then she

talks to someone else. It goes on for sometime and then the sweet, confused voice is replaced with a gruff, arrogant one: Yes? Yes?!

We don’t have one bedroom flats.

We have two bedrooms.

But we are looking for one bedroomWe have two bedrooms for (he mentions an exorbitant rate) and we had one ‘bedrooms’ for (again an exorbitant rate) but now we don’t have.

Wow! A single bedroom for (we quote the exorbitant rate)? Prices are going down and you want (we mention the exorbitant rate) for a single and double that for a two bedroom?

You want you take, you no want, you don’t take, the rude man says and click it goes from the other end.

We keep trying to speak to him but then soon realise that the man at the other end has ended the conversation.

So we click and cluck and hem and haw. We will call back and give them a piece of our mind… let'ss just But for what? Rather, let ‘applaud’ them for their er, quick service!

We move to another section of the city and repeat the same exercise!

Dial 964*****.

CITY-LIGHTS

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

January 2019 P15

WANTED: 1BHK Many say that the rent prices are falling down. But, the other day we did a tour of certain sections of the city to find a decent one-bedroom flat for our former colleague, who is going to rejoin us soon and we were left clutching only a handful of real-good choices.

Very few flats out there that met our need! If they were good, they were too hot to touch (as in cost).

If they met the budget they were on the wrong side of town.

If we thought it was okay, they still overlooked certain difficult areas (this one we went to, overlooked a final resting abode).

If we thought it would do, then something would be missing (no lifts), poor to bad maintenance, etc. etc.

And if we really find some good ones, they would have been just rented (a few hours back) to some other lucky dude. Awww…

In other words, we have been scouring certain key areas for the last few days but no go.

So here goes the ad: ‘Wanted a single bedroom for a young Indian couple. Flat should be in a relatively new building with a lift and located in these areas: Wattayah, Darsait, Ruwi, CBD/MBD…’

NOT A ‘VICTIM’ So, you know this person, we asked.

Heard of him, but I don’t know him, came the reply.

Oh! We were nonplussed for a moment. We had come to know from a very reliable source that this man knew the person we were talking about and that he (the former) was victimised by the latter. But, we thought, you knew this man very well; he is quite known, we said and we gave him a description.

Oh I have seen him; I know who he is, our ‘victim’ acknowledged. He has come to our events and he also comes to buy things from our company.

Oh yes, so you know him; have met him and talked to him?

Well, not really, but whenever he wanted I have given him discounts for items from our company.

Oh. We had learnt from very close sources that this man was cheated and victimised by the above shady character mentioned but when

someone completely denies any contact, or relation with the aforesaid person, what could we do?

You see he is a known shark in town, preying on innocent victims…we tried again.

Well, maybe, but I have never been a victim, I really don’t have any connection with him – ummhhh, how about some coffee, our boy makes excellent coffee?!

Everything about this man said that he was not telling the truth; his body language and his casual dismissal of our query all stated something else, but when someone vehemently denies any contact with the said character, what do we do?

How can you call a victim a ‘victim’ when he chooses not to be?

What do you do when a man who is not telling the truth pretends very hard to be saying the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

I guess…we will have that coffee!

P16 January 2019

OMAN

BLACK & WHITE

Omantel and Oman LNG HR Excellence ageement Omantel and Oman LNG have signed a pivotal agreement that stipulates a strategic partnership in the human resources field, which includes training and development, cross posting opportunities, leading change and human resources systems.

The three-year agreement, inked at Omantel‘s head office, is a consolidation of efforts in relation to various human resources aspects such as staff development and capacity building, where both companies will share knowledge and exchange expertise in various disciplines within the world-class human resources

practices. The agreement was signed

by Dr Ghalib Al Hosni, chief people officer at Omantel, and Ahmed Al Zakwany, Oman LNG’s chief financial officer.

TRAVEL POINT NEW BRAND IDENTITY AND B2B PORTAL Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism, unveiled the new Travel Point brand logo as well as inaugurated the B2B Travel Portal along with Sheikh Salem Saeed Al Fanna Al Araimi, chairman, Salim International Investment Holding LLC, and Budoor Mohammed Rashid Al Fanna Al Araimi, the managing director, chairperson – Al Siraj Holding LLC.

25th anniversary celebrations at Palayok Restaurant Filipino culture, which is influenced by countries in Asia and the west, is reflected in Palayok Restaurant's cuisine.

Palayok was the first Filipino restaurant in Oman. It started in Ruwi in 1995. "Since then we have catered to various nationalities and personalities over the years with dishes of Filipino homestyle cooking that makes "you feel at home away from home". "The community and the fantastic response keeps our passion on fire, continuing to cater to our valued guest and customers," said a spokesperrson inviting new guests to enjoy their cuisine and Filipino hospitality.

The restaurant has three branches (Ruwi, Al Khuwair and Panorama Mall). "From January 25 to Feb 28, we will be offering our anniversary promotion as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. We will also have an evening of acoustic music on February 14 - Valentines Days - with a

fabulous dinner," she said. Their services include casual dining (walk-in and reservation), in-house and outside catering, take out and home delivery (selected areas only) and private/family dining and karaoke room.

www.blackandwhiteoman.com

OMAN

January 2019 P17

Al Mouj Muscat hosts 'Layers of Oman' Exhibition Al Mouj Muscat hosted a photography exhibition titled “Layers of Oman” that showcased the rich heritage, lifestyle and nature of ancient Oman; some of Oman’s proudest moments and achievements. Three new picture books were launched with introduction pages written in six languages – Arabic, English, German, French, Russian and Chinese.

Alargan Village Al Bustan project launched Alargan Towell Investment Company recently launched the residential project, Alargan Village - Al Bustan, under the auspices of Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, chairman of Majlis A’Shura. The opening was held at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, in the presence of partners and Alargan Towell representatives from Oman and Kuwait. The launch officially unveiled 44 modern villas that extend over 9,500 square metres along Al Bustan Beach.

Danube Home megastore in Mabella Danube Home recently opened its largest retail space in Mabella with an investment of AED 75million (OMR7,860,563.91). Present at the launch were Sheikh Ali bin Nasser Al Mahrouqi, Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman, Danube Group, Adel Sajan, director, Danube Group along with senior management of the Group. The store is spread across three massive floors over a sprawling 100,000 sqft retail space, with a huge assortment of 50,000 home furnishing and improvement products.

OMAN

P18 January 2019

BLACK & WHITE

Khimji’s Watches adds Alpina and Ateliers deMonaco to its portfolio Khimji’s Watches added two more luxury watch brands to its portfolio: Alpina and Ateliers deMonaco, both sister brands of Frederique Constant. The launch was attended

by Anil Khimji, Nailesh Khimji, directors – Khimji Ramdas, Sachin Malhotra, Coo, Lifestyle Group and Williams Besse, international sales director, Frederique Constant. To mark the occasion, two timepieces were showcased at the event. The Alpiner X from Alpina and the Admiral Chronographe Flyback Prato from Ateliers deMonaco.

Flowers for every occasion If you are looking for a bunch of freshly cut flowers for a very important occasion, there is a place to go to: FLOWERS, which is located in the heart of the city – in North Al Ghubrah.

There are many flower shops in town, but FLOWERS has an edge being in the market for the last five years and capturing a niche segment by delivering the “freshest flowers grown abroad and outsourced directly”, a spokesperson said.“Our floristdesigner has gained a reputation for her beautifully arranged flowers and today our flower shop caters to any

Businessman buys 22 Geely vehicles in six years A happy Geely customer, Amarjit Singh Bawa, the owner of a rent-a-car company, has bought a fleet of 22 cars for his renting business since 2013.

“Geely cars are value for money,” says Amarjit Singh Bawa and adds, “As I am renting out these cars, I find Geely offers low prices and are cost effective.

You get more features for less price, making Geely the best in its class. I am happy with the excellent service experience at their dealer, Towell Auto Centre.

and every kind of arrangements,” the spokesperson said. “We can customise according to your preference and to a suitable budget!” FLOWERS has also been actively servicing clients with requests for flower arrangement at events, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries. “Plus we also offer services for baloon styling, chocolate and gift arrangement,” the spokesperson noted. Free delivery is provided for minimum purchase of OMR 20 within Muscat area only.

FLOWERS is located at the M4 Ali Shaihani building, North Al Ghubrah.

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P20 January 2019

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MAZDA service drive winners Towell Auto Centre organised the Mazda Service Drive to inspect vehicles, address customers concerns and for the free health check-up of Mazda vehicles. The service drive was held at service centres across Oman for two days each, namely at Al Hail, Ghala, Sohar and Salalah. Service engineers had attended the service drive all the way from Japan. As part of the service drive event, the Mazda technicians performed thorough inspections on the vehicles and recommended maintenance and repairs to customers wherever needed. Coupons were given to those customers who had more than fifty riyals worth of repairs based on the experts’ advice. The customers who received coupons were then entered into a raffle draw with one winner picked from each of the branches, each of whom went home with a brand new 55 inch LED TV.

Royal Opera: House of Musical Arts Opera, 400 Years of Passion, the first event inaugurating the House of Musical Arts was officially opened under the patronage of Nasr bin Hamoud Al Kindi, secretary general of the Royal Court Affairs and vice chairman of the board of the Royal Opera House Muscat, in the presence of a number of officials and guests from within the Sultanate and around the world and also various ambassadors.

The exhibition tells the story of opera’s journey to Oman.

OAB digital solutions Oman Arab Bank (OAB) launched a host of new customer-centric innovations as part of its ongoing digital transformation journey, including OAB’s Next Gen ATM capabilities including ‘Tap & Go’ payments, and enabling of Instant Rewards as well as Discounts at Points of Sale (POS) machines across OAB’s network of select merchant partners.

The press launch was presided over by the Bank’s Ceo, Rashad Al Musafir, and accompanied by Fahd bin Amjad, the head of the retail banking group, and Rashad Al Shaikh, DGM – retail banking and other OAB senior officials.

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January 2019 P21

Children of a lesser…?

By Adarsh Madhavan

“We sleep afraid, we wake up afraid…”

Sometime ago, a young boy from a war-torn country wrote on Facebook: “We sleep afraid, we wake up afraid, we leave our homes afraid…”

I

have been young too. I have been a boy too. I have slept scared too. But I had slept scared of the dark; of some vile imaginary creature lurking out there in the shadows, or under my bed, or rustling along with the wind in my mother’s leafy garden – but I never slept afraid thinking that a shell might drop on the roof of my house or a bomb was going to blow all us up to smithereens; I never slept afraid that someone was going to shoot me dead; I never slept afraid of a war; I never woke up afraid of war; I never left my home afraid of war.

I have been scared to get up in the morning because of being forced to make a speech in the English class; or because there was this dreaded math’s exam that day! I had been scared to go out because there were the senior bullies at the corner of the road who would call me ugly names

and try to knock me out of my bicycle!

But I never had a problem going out because someone was shooting rocket shells at my home!

I had never worried that my dad would not return if he went out to work or I would find my mom riddled with bullets when we I return home.

The only thing that came close to an explosion was during the Vishu festivities when even I joined in a riot of fireworks! No bullets, no bombs, no explosions!

five-year old kid had to complain.

Yes. We were middle class. Yes, we were hardly rich and just got on by. But we had a roof above our heads. We always had food. We even had a car, dang it! And most importantly, we had our parents.

Alive, taking care of us, worrying over us, fussing, caring, loving… who did that tiny tot in the pink frock have?

T

HE other day, an elderlylooking couple alighted from their station wagon in the front of a mall here and then slowly have been to orphanages in my went behind their vehicle. The man opened the boot of the car and I hometown, Kannur, in Kerala saw a young lad curled up there. and I remember once at one It took them some moments to particular one where I had to take the boy out and put him in a try hard not to melt down after complicated-looking wheelchair. hearing a tiny nameless orphan I was in a car directly behind tot in her worn out but scrubbed them and so I was staring. and ironed pink dress sweetily I am not the type who stares, but sing a birthday song for my then I still did. It was crazy. I despised seven-year old son. Some years myself for doing that but I stared back we had decided to hold and I was also getting upset by the our son’s birthday party at this neighbourhood orphanage and the second. Nope, nothing bad was complete kids there, including their happening; the boy was not being stately caretaker lady welcomed us harmed, no nothing, so what the heck was I staring at? so warmly that we almost wished I stared because the quiet of we could stay and be with them, my heart was stirred madly by the help them and adopt every single beautiful child there (including the sight. I always think I am struggling and then I see these kids; I see caretaker)! their parents and I realise and crib and I complain. wonder what a godawful man I was. How I was always blinded Even as a 50by my little challenges; how I year old ‘kid’! I fail to understand and thank have cribbed and my privileges; how I have failed complained as a five-year old and so miserably to understand that there are kids out there who are different it is natural that I do the same when and vulnerable; who are struggling, who needs to be understood, I add 45 years to to be supported, to be warmly that. I think about embraced, to be part of us and I those kids there despair. and wonder what Why don’t I ever lift a finger? my yesteryear

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adarsh@blackandwhiteoman.com

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Happy Land – where the thrill and fun never stops for children and their parents If size matters, then Happy Land at the Muscat Grand Mall (MGM) is the largest of them all! Happy Land is considered to be one of the largest entertainment centers inside a mall. “Our entertainment center area covers 1800m2, which is once the first largest entertainment parks inside a mall in Oman,” Ali Al Aidarus, operations manager, Happy Land explained. “This is in terms of the size as well as in terms of the rides,” he added.

So, it is not just size, because according to Happy Land officials, the entertainment center has every means to entertain kids, who are often seen making a beeline for the “land” of their happiness as soon as they alight at the MGM. Exciting rides “We have great and exciting large rides such as Bumper Cars, Carousel, Drop Tower, Evolution Twist and Swing, Jolly Jump, World Trip and Soft Play Areas.

Happy Land – is the happy place to go to at the Muscat Grand Mall,”Ali Aidarus enthused.

Entertaining kids Happy Land, which was launched in 2012 soon became a major attraction to the mall visitors, even being instrumental in raising the footfalls.

Foton brand of automobiles launched Partnering with Foton Motor Group one of the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, Gulf Great Sands LLC (GGS) has launched a full range of commercial vehicles in Oman.

Through this exclusive distribution partnership, Gulf Great Sands has commenced the supply of a range of Foton’s commercial vehicles in Oman which includes heavy duty trucks, medium duty trucks, light duty trucks, pickups, mini buses, panel vans, and SUVs.

“In the six years since its launch, it has become one of the best places to keep children of all ages entertained, especially during holidays,” Ali Aidarus added. It is open for children of all ages. “We have also some games and rides where parents can join and play with their children!

We have interactive games, motion, sports and redemption machines for all members of the family from which our company Oman Family leisure company LLC has been established, Ali said.

Excellent packages “Our services, recharging facilities and prices are affordable to all compared to other entertainment parks. We have excellent packages for schools, birthday parties and there are cooperate packages and amazing offers and raffle draws.”

Among the other attractions at Happy Land include the natural under-thesea atmosphere at the park, plus the recreation of sealife combined with dinosaur fossils walls and the remains of the plane suspended at the entrance that adds to its delight for those visitors who wish to see the nature under the sea world at close quarters. It is the right place for all those who have enough of city life!”

Recent additions

Recent additions to the Happy Land family includes a new site which was opened at the Mars Hypermarket in Al Khoud and is part of the Happy Land chain and two more upcoming family entertainment centers in the pipeline.

Place to relax and be happy “Happy Land is the place to be when you want to relax and happy irrespective of seasons and occasions.

If you are seeking an experience or excitement of a family, Happy Land is the ideal location for an outing or other family functions such as birthday parties and the mesmerising location and the thrilling rides carry you away to an amusing world of joy and fun.

Our passion and commitment is to provide quality service, value for your money and to go to great lengths that assure retention of our clientele building strong customer relations.

We can arrange everything to help your enjoyment and stress-free as possible,” Ali said.

Happy Land is open from 9am to 10 pm from Saturday until Wednesday and 9am until midnight on Thursday, Friday and National Holidays.

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January 2019 P23

We are obliged to defend the rights of children

By Hatim Harith Al Abdissalaam

E

VERY human being on earth is awarded his or her rights from the Creator Himself. These rights come in different forms. They vary from the right of living a peaceful life to the right of making choices in life.

All religions preserve the rights of individuals and Islam goes even further as it preserves the right of children before they are even born.

Fathers are asked in Islam to choose the right mothers for their future children and choose an honourable name for their children. The reason behind this is that good mothers will preserve the dignity and rights of the child and the name will always play a big role in moulding the personality of the child.

As adults we get to enjoy these rights out of our own will but at the same time we are commanded by the Creator to preserve the rights of those who are under our care. Our offsprings are the fruits of this life and a blessing from Almighty God and the only way to thank our Lord for this blessing is by preserving the wellbeing of our offsprings. We are obliged to defend their rights and advocate the awareness towards an environment that adheres to the wellbeing of children. It is very sad to still see some parents who think that it is okay to neglect the rights of their children out of ignorance or lack of responsibility.

They fail to understand that they are accountable before God for the wellbeing of their children. The worst

part is that they refuse to accept advice from those who advocate the rights of children. A classic, but unfortunate, example of this is witnessed when we see how some of our communities neglect the safety of their own children by allowing them to play on the streets sans shoes and adult supervision. This can be witnessed in the hot hours of the burning summer afternoons or late at night and sometimes, even close to midnight.

Another common example that has become a trend is allowing kids to sit on the rooftops of moving vehicles during special occasions such as the National Day or any other celebrations.

This is a fatal act of ignorance, which is done on the pretext of a celebration. For sure there are many examples to share but the worst ever is the sight of a parent smoking with their young child on their lap or the recent sad cases of forgotten children in vehicles resulting in their fatality. I believe that there is a misconception among some that parenthood is a licence to violate the rights of their children. And absence of strict rules that enforce punishment for such acts of neglect glect and irresponsibility add to the children’s misery.

The authorities are trying to advocate these issues to the public ublic in different platforms, but the only way to come up with concrete results is by implementing strictt rules and regulations against those who violate the rights of children. Att the same time, the education system has em ha as

to play a vital role in educating the young students on how to become advocates of their own rights in addition to the role of religious leaders in reminding the public on the severe consequences of such violations towards children.

The examples mentioned earlier are very much in the public eye, but there might be other cases of violations that are not very obvious such as domestic violence, sexual harassment and underage children working (while they are supposed to be in school)!

I am sure that there isn’t a city in the world that isn’t going through some of the issues in regards to the rights of children but I personally think that we still have a long way to go to achieve our goal in having a community that really preserves the rights of children, which is also protected by strict law enforcement.

This shouldn’t be the responsibility of the authorities alone; we are all responsible and accountable towards the wellbeing of our children whether we are parents, educational institutions, religious leaders or human rights’ advocates!

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MUSCAT FESTIVAL

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Photos by Hisham Al Riyami

Word press

GLIMPSES OF MUSCAT FESTIVAL 2019

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January 2019 P27

Whose responsibility is it anyway?

By Maimuna Al-Sulaimani

Scene 1 (*): Let’s call him Little ‘X’; let him be all of five, happily romping around with other kids at a kid zone in a mall.

He is the picture of happiness; he loves playing with other kids and he is doing just that, having fun; boy, he is having a rollicking good time! His mother is window shopping somewhere close by.

Scene 2: Wow, in a matter of seconds, things change: A visibly upset woman emerges from nowhere and she catches hold of Li’l ‘X’ and slaps him around as though he is a rag doll! Please understand that Lil ‘X’ is being slapped around by a woman who is NOT even HIS MOTHER! This is happening in public at a very popular mall and in the presence of everyone around there: other kids, parents, other bystanders, including the officials at the kid zone.

But, typically, everyone stands around and do nothing!

Of course, they are all shell shocked, but no, no one lifts even a finger!

Who is the culprit here?

Meanwhile, the public judgement is extremely swift and as diverse. Some feel that it “must” be the kid, because kids are known to create problems that often make adults see red, right? Others feel that it has to be the adult who is the culprit because adults are well, ahem, culprits!

Scene 3: Now another adult enters into the scene and this time, it is the mother of the assaulted child. And of course, like any other mother rushes to the rescue of Li’l ‘X’ who is bawling his head off.

The mother has no clue as to what has happened; why was her little boy beaten and humiliated in public and that too by an adult who is 10 times his size?

She loses her temper and words dart in the air like razor-sharp swords and the situation gets ugly. The authorities step in and well, they have a job to do; they have to find out who is at fault and so they take everyone in for questioning. That is okay,

but the problem here is that a five-year old kid is involved here. A mere five-year old! Imagine what would be going on in the head of that small kid who is being questioned at a police station by adults in a world of adults; imagine the trauma and scars it would leave in the mind of that innocent boy!

Look at this situation: a poor kid was put to extended hours of pain and suffering to facilitate proceedings, which without doubt is under the law. But the pertinent question is: who failed here to protect a small child? The parent, the caretaker, the mall supervisor, the officials or the public?

No! In all honesty, the answer is: us! All of us! We are the real culprits here because of the lack of an effective system in place to protect a child in a situation like this!

THANK YOU HIS MAJESTY, THE SULTAN But, thanks to our visionary leader His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, Oman has been recognized as the first country in the Middle East to record child well being and empowerment. In simple words, Oman is indeed a child safe country and is currently creating greater awareness on Children’s Rights and the need to provide/ preserve a safe childhood for each and every child.

NEED TO ISSUE THE EXECUTIVE REGULATION In 2014, the Child Law (No o 22/2014) was promulgated in Oman, by a Royal Decree, channelised into many ny chapters under the aegis of the ministry ry of social development. The Child Law w was one of the greatest affirmations of the he Sultanate’s concern for children in Oman. n.

The next step that is eagerly rly awaited is the issuance of the Executive e Regulation of the present Child Law by the ministry and the authorities concerned.The d.The executive regulation will ensure ure set standards, operational, and practical, plus offer solutions to safe guard,

protect and give a child its basic rights in the right form. Children have rights. Every one of them; irrespective of age, colour, caste, creed or sex, in every society; let us ensure that these rights are in place and give them the space to enjoy their rights.

An important aspect to consider is that there is a need to inculcate the values of the rights of children into all realms of the society so that caretakers, teachers, doctors, medical and hospital workers, or, rather the whole gamut of people who are involved in the care of children to be given the task of ensuring that the rights of the child are embodied in their day-to-day work and professional standards.

NEED MORE BRAVE HEARTS Every cause needs an action. And for that to happen, we need people to spearhead those actions into positive reality. People with an open and brave heart and ready to take up a cause and fight it! And thanks to the advent of social media and technology, this has made the path and reach more accessible. Let us hope the youth take up initiatives, responsibilities with an active heart! Here is wishing for an era of more activists, of more people with hearts pulsating for the underpriviliged and here’s hoping all of this spawn a more socially responsible community! ((*)) Above story is based on a true incident.

Editor-in-chief eic@blackandwhiteoman.com

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IN THE NAME OF THE CHILD…

We believe… …that the true test of the implementation

of children’s rights is when the most unfortunate children in our midst are plucked to safety, away from the misery of their non existence; embraced by the people of a generous nation and given a new lease in life and enabled to form a ‘forever family’.

Disclaimer: Photo used for illustrative purposes only. Children used in this picture are not part of the story.

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ADOPTION – A YARDSTICK? Of course, adoption is not the only yardstick and many may demur from this line of thought. But, ask yourself whether this sets the standard of such a hotly debated topic or not?

Luckily, Oman abounds with many of such shining examples thereby illuminating this country’s stellar role in adopting and administering children’s rights.

For, only a country with progressive adoption rules and culture can step into these and other areas of implementation of children’s rights!

A recent report noted that around 352 children have been fostered by families in the Sultanate. Muscat Governorate has the highest number of such children at 207.

OMAN PUTS CHILDREN FIRST The Sultanate has always been lauded for putting the rights of children first. Some years back, the country was ranked first for upholding children’s rights in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. More recently, the Sultanate was noted to be the first country in the Middle East region to map child well-being and empowerment with a composite index that it developed for its own use.

On a global level, the UNICEF itself has lauded Oman gor its significant achievements in children’s well being.

Others add that: Oman is a country which is friendly to the rights of the child and a state of social advancement and education.

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COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Observers note such achievements were commendable because of the difficult natural circumstances. They commend the will of the leader of the nation and also the men and women who have conquered the natural surroundings to accomplish what they have achieved – that too in a very short period!

Disclaimer: Photo used for illustrative purposes only. Children used in this picture are not part of the story.

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January 2019 P31

Positive results from MoSD children programmes: Dr Yahya Al Hinai The Ministry of Social Development’s programmes that target children have not only produced excellent results, but they have also been lauded by local and international bodies. “All indicators confirm positive results from programmes that target children.

These programmes cover various fields and include educational and social indicators and statistical evidence through progress in the field of education; the provision of health services and social services and the efforts of all government agencies and the role of NGOs,” Dr Yahya bin Mohammed Al-Hinai, director general of family development, Ministry of Social Development, said.

Dr Yahya also referred to the adoption of strategies such as: Social Action Strategy 2016 to 2025 (Family Development and Community Development) and the National Strategy for Childhood 2016 to 2025, prepared in partnership with the UNICEF, which were also progressing very well.

Excerpts: Child Rights – what policies; what guidelines does the ministry have in this regard, locally and globally?

The Ministry of Social Development, like other government institutions, has regulations and ministerial decisions governing the work in the area of Children’s Rights. The Child Law promulgated by Royal Decree No. 22/2014 was issued after reference to the statutes of the state and the related laws, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the two Optional Protocols. The Sultanate acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on December 9, 1996 under Royal Decree No. 54/96 and Royal Decree No. 99/96. It came into force on January 8, 1997 The Sultanate also acceded to the two Optional Protocols to the Convention on September 17, 2004, pursuant to Royal Decree No. 41/2004 and entered into force on October 17, 2004. In this regard, a follow-up committee was established to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child by Ministerial Decision No. 9/2001, based on Royal Decree No. 54/96, and was restructured in accordance with the Ministerial Decision No. 50/2005, 56/2009 and 127/2014. The committee included the members of the executive officers and experts

Dr Yahya bin Mohammed Al-Hinai, director general of family development, Ministry of Social Development from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Council, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Information Technology Authority, the Association for the Welfare of the Handicapped Children, the Children’sFirst Association, etc. There are joint committees to study policies and make recommendations such as the National Committee for Family Affairs and the Joint Committee with the Ministry of Education and others.

Are there child rights groups and activists in Oman – in all wilayats etc? What are the laws governing them?

We encourage individuals to do volunteer work and we highlight awareness and offer various activities in all available fields. Permits are granted to a group of individuals from civil society to practice any activity through a legal entity. This is to publicise the NGOs according to the NGO Law. There are many areas in which recognised associations operate,including the field of child and maternal care, which include the promotion of children’s rights, for example: Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children, Omani Autism Society and Omani Society for Down's Syndrome.

The associations support the civil society under an official umbrella according to the law.

Oman is known for its commitment to enhancing and protecting child rights through various programmes. Are these programmes successful? Any examples?

The work is carried out through the adoption of strategies such as: Social Action Strategy

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The Child Protection Hotline (1100) is a free 24-hour telephone line that provides services to children by receiving calls from children or others indicating that the child is exposed to violence, abuse or danger 2016 to 2025 (Family Development and Community Development) and the National Strategy for Childhood 2016 to 2025, prepared in partnership with the UNICEF. We have worked with them in various fields such as preparing an evaluation study for nursery institutions, preparing guides and training supervisors and educators in pre-school institutions. The UNICEF has a joint programme in the fields of childhood and other training and rehabilitation programmes to benefit from the experiences of countries. The body’s annual development plans include children’s rights awareness activities.

There have been views that huge expenditures have been laid out for child rights programmes but results have been unsatisfactory? Your comments.

All indicators confirm positive results from programmes that target children. These programmes cover various fields. They include educational and social indicators and statistical evidence through progress in the field of education. They also include the provision of health services and social services and the efforts of all government agencies and the role of NGOs. Could you give us a brief on Oman’s role during important dates for children like November 20, which is the World Children’s Day? The Ministry of Education and the private sector institutions celebrate the World Children’s Day differently. The earlier slogan was: “Children lead the world!” This year, the Ministry of Social Development, in cooperation with the Barr Al Jissah Resort, organised a workshop on children’s rights. Children from several institutions that sponsor various groups of children in society, with the aim of promoting the principles of integration and children’s rights to introduce children to the World Children’s Day, attended.

The Gulf Children’s Day, which falls on January 15, will also celebrate children’s programmes and workshops on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children’s Code to promote the principle of participation, expression and knowledge of different cultures.

Please tell us about the ‘helpline’. When was it launched – how does it work – and how is it now?

The Ministry of Social Development, represented by the Directorate General for Family Development, adopted a number of mechanisms that would provide protection and care for the child and work to rehabilitate

children who are vulnerable to abuse as well as bring in awareness to those with whom they have to deal with.

These mechanisms vary from curative to preventive in order to reach effective treatment of the abused child or to prevent future abuse. The line was launched on January 11, 2017 and before that the line was experimental until it was officially launched.

Child protection line: The Child Protection Hotline (1100) is a free 24-hour telephone line that provides services to children by receiving calls from children or others indicating that the child is exposed to violence, abuse or danger. The line provides guidance, active listening and referral to relevant parties when needed.

The line places children and their protection in kind as a primary goal. It also seeks to provide children with an opportunity to express their concerns and talk about issues that directly affect them. It also establishes a firm belief that children have rights and have the ability to identify their problems.

Line vision: To reach every child anywhere in the Sultanate and ensure that he has his rights and protection from all kinds of abuse. The message: To respond to the different needs of children in the Sultanate through a free and unified telephone number, in order to provide advice to children or caregivers and to follow up the provision of care and protection services to children through those responsible for providing these services.

Objectives of the child protection line: Protect children from all forms of violence and abuse. Provide appropriate guidance to the caller. Provide urgent protection services to the child who is subjected to violence and abuse by referring the contact to the authorities concerned. Contribute to the monitoring of cases of violence and abuse against children and to discuss the causes and work to address them in order to avoid future recurrence.

Obligations: • Contact is free.

• Caller and complaint confidentiality is maintained and ensured, especially whenever so desired.

• Works around the clock.

Services provided by the line: • To protect the child from abuse, violence and neglect.

• Provide psychological and social support to the child or his family.

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*The possibility of referral to the relevant parties to provide other services needed by the child and the family. *Support children morally, and build confidence to help them make decisions about their protection.

Follow up the arrival of the service to children in a timely manner.

Dar Al-Wefaq House (temporary care house) In accordance with the Children’s Act, the temporary care home is where the children who are at risk of abuse are placed. If the environment in which such vulnerable children live is a major cause of abuse, by order or judgment of the public prosecution, these children can stay in the house until the problem is sorted out.

This house is dedicated for the protection and rehabilitation of the abused child.

The care house offers a range of social, psychological, health, leisure, legal and other services.

The MoSD also monitors and disseminate statistics in the Ministry’s publications, and this is part of them.

Monitoring, evaluation and follow-up are among the most important priorities of protection programmess.

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Statistics of the child protection line through 2018 Statistics by type of incoming connections: Type of connection

Reports of abuse of the child

Quantity

721

Other communications

Queries

563

804

Total

2046

Statistics by governorate and type of abuse: The type of abuse suffered by the child

Sex

Governorate Quantity

Total Physical

Psychological

Sexual

Neglecting

Male

Female

Muscat

85

55

31

152

183

140

323

Al Dakhlia

23

11

7

16

30

27

57

Musandam

1

-

-

5

4

2

6

Batna North

24

16

25

85

83

67

150

Batna South

19

7

-

18

24

20

44

Sharqia North

4

3

4

29

20

20

40

Sharqia South

10

3

2

31

28

18

46

Al Dahra

2

6

1

8

10

7

17

Al Buraimy

10

3

1

2

9

7

16 21

Dhofar

5

5

1

10

12

9

Al Wusta

-

-

1

-

-

1

1

Total

183

109

73

356

403

318

721

His Majesty, the Sultan pays great attention to child rights: Sheikh Abdullah Oman’s benevolent and visionary ruler pays great attention to child rights, according to the Chairman of the Oman Human Rights Commission (OHRC).

“His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said paid great attention to human rights in general and children rights in particular, therefore the OHRC was established in 2008 as per the Royal Decree no 128/2008,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Shuwain Al Hosni.

Since its establishment, the commission strives to ensure the protection of human rights within the country as per its jurisdictions issued in 2008.

“It is good to mention that there are 10 human rights conventions in relation to the United Nation's mechanisms.

Oman signed on the Child Rights Convention in 1996 and it withdrew its reservations on certain articles of the convention in 2014,” Sheikh Abdullah said.

Last year (2018), the commission received four complaints in relation to child rights, most of which were concerned to

Sheikh Abdullah bin Shuwain Al Hosni, Chairman, Oman Human Rights Commission access to healthcare that included demand for treatment abroad.

Moreover, the OHRC monitored three child abuse cases that have been referred to the authorities concerned and resolved.

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Even the unborn child has rights: Dr Obaid Al Shaqsi

Dr Obaid Al Shaqsi (OHRC) , Secretary General, Oman Human Rights Commission

Have you ever thought of it: the rights of a child begin even before it is born! Its rights to its own safety; its rights to be protected are all enshrined in the laws concerned. “The rights of the child begin even before the mother delivers the baby. If you are a mother or if you are a woman and you know that you are pregnant, then you should refrain from any action that could harm the child,” noted Dr Obaid Said Al Shaqsi, Oman Human Rights Commission (OHRC) secretary general.

PROTECT THE CHILD IN THE WOMB Dr Obaid was speaking to the Black & White magazine as part of the interview on children’s rights in Oman, when he made the above observation. “(You need to) protect the child even when it is in the mother’s womb. I think we have to think of the right of a child even before the mother delivers it,” Dr Obaid noted.

EVERYTHING IN A NAME “And finally when the baby is delivered, then a number of rights are given at certain stages or at periods of his/ her age. First of all, the child needs to have a name.

The child has a right to a good and respectful name.

You might think what is in a name? Just imagine that this baby were to be named something that is not really welcome by the society. It could hurt the child when he/ she is growing up. So it is the parent’s responsibility to give their child a good name,” Dr Obaid said.

A HOST OF RIGHTS As the child grows, he/she has the right to be protected with the right attention and care by the parents, Dr Obaid said. “When he/she reaches the school age, they have a right to education and play. During this period of growing up and until he or she reaches 18, which is the puberty/crossover age, the child has a further set of rights, which protects him/her from any kind of abuses, and discrimination, be it physical (sexual), mental or psychological harm. The child is also given the right to participation, expression, medical care, rehabilitation and is integrated to the society.”

While Dr Obaid first revealed that the rights of a child began from it’s mother’s womb, he also noted that child protection included children of both Omanis and non Omanis. “We are grateful to our beloved leader His

Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who promulgated the Child Law in 2014, ensuring the protection of every child in Oman, be it an Omani or an expatriate. Children’s rights cut across all ages of children regardless of their nationality,” he emphasised.

NON-OMANI CHILDREN CAN ALSO GET FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION To illustrate with an example, all Omani public schools should receive children to be educated without any fees.

“All Omani and non-Omani children can go to public schools free,” Dr Obaid revealed.

“If you have a child, and if you are from India for instance, and you want to take your child to a public school, they are going to welcome him or her and then she or he will be treated as an Omani child. There are community schools in Oman. However, if you cannot afford paying for their education, public schools are open for all!”

Similarly, all vaccinations are given to children free at public hospitals.

MOSD DOING GREAT JOB “On top of that, the ministry of social development is really doing a great job; the committees comprising relevant representatives from entities such as ministry of health, ministry of education, public prosecution and police as well, in all governorates are working well,” Dr Obaid said.

DIAL 80002008 FOR HELP “Our main role at the OHRC is to monitor all rights, including child rights. And we also receive complaints, which are either reached to us by the parents or by those concerned. For instance, sometimes we get someone who is really trying to help a child because someone’s child is not taken to school, simply because his father/

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Dial 80002008 for help: The OHRC has a 24-hour phone line for complaints. Everybody can use that phone number. We don’t call it a hotline because it is not really a hotline – it is a landline. It is connected to our local system here where messages can be recorded and listened to guardian was not really able to, or they are trying to make them work in farms or fisheries or something like that. So we take these issues and then we communicate with the minister of social development to take appropriate action.

Whatever complaints that we receive, we cooperate strongly with the ministry to solve it. If we receive complaints about a child that has been really abused at home, then we also communicate with the MoSD and then we jointly resolve these issues.”

The OHRC has a 24-hour phone line for complaints.

Everybody can use that phone number. We don’t call it a hotline because it is not really a hotline -- it is a landline.

It is connected to our local system here where messages can be recorded and listened to.”

CASES SUCCESSFULLY ATTENDED TO “Most of these cases (complaints/notice) that we have received have been attended to successfully. Some of them might take some time, for normal procedures at times, because in some cases you may not be able to take immediate action. Our main role is to report, monitor and identify where the violation is, because we are talking about rights,” Dr Obaid said.

LACK OF AWARENESS Most of the cases reported are basically springing from lack of awareness. “The cases of abuse are either happening at the home of the child, where maybe the child is not living at home with his/her parents, because maybe they are dead or divorced.

He is living with his uncle or stepmother or stepfather or whatever the case is. Or maybe the whole family is not stable or the father has addiction problems (alcohol consumption or related). Issues are rampant. But the main purpose of those at the OHRC is that whenever a violation is reported to us, we act swiftly to monitor it and all actions are taken with the cooperation of the ministry of social development,” Dr Obaid said.

ELEVEN COMMITTEES The ministry of social development has 11 committees in different governorates of Oman to ensure every part of the country is monitored and help is at hand. There are well-researched systems in place that ensure the committees get the information from all over Oman through clinics, hospitals, schools etc . “Actually, until mid 2018, there were more than 650 cases reported.

We have to do more in terms of raising awareness.

That’s why we have invested and thought of this national programme, because we think we have to do our jobs first properly,” Dr Obaid said.

FAMILY SHOULD BE FULLY AWARE OF CHILDREN’S RIGHTS He continued: “Both the ministry of education and social development are doing their best. But I think what we want to reach out as a message is that we would like to have the family fully aware of the children’s rights, because this is the starting point, home. After home, the second focal point is school.

“But the main part of this whole process is raising awareness, not only to the child on how to protect themselves, but also of the parents/guardians/people who are working in places where a child is more likely to be either part of it or coming to it, like doctors, educators/teachers, etc..”

PAN-NATIONAL PROGRAMME Dr Obaid noted that many plans are in the offing to strengthen the system. “We are working on a pannational programme for raising awareness about child rights. “But I think in our societies, even the government would like to raise awareness and make people realise that what they are doing is for their benefit and for the child itself. It’s a very long process. The best way to do it is to be very delicate, because you are changing minds and thoughts.”

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Read and never be afraid to innovate, says Her Highness Sayyida Mona bint Fahd Al Said

Her Highness Sayyida Mona bint Fahd Al Said , chairperson, Children’s First Association

Read widely, learn wisely and arm yourself with knowledge and acquire all the skills to become a leader, Her Highness Sayyida (Dr) Mona bint Fahd Al Said, the chairperson of the Children’s First Association advised the children and the youth of Oman

“Reading and learning are the most important aspects of progressing,” Sayyida Mona bint Fahd Al Said told the Black & White as part of an interview on Children’s Rights in Oman.

Sayyida Mona said the youth needed to get out of their comfort zone and grab every opportunity available.

“Never be afraid to create and innovate,” she said, adding that she hoped in the near future that the children would not only offer their independent views but also find solutions (to problems).

Sayyida Mona also noted that she has many dreams and plans for Children First and a key element of that was to ensure that every child “enjoy a healthy environment, be it emotional, cultural, physical or mental, with no discrimination in the social arena”.

Excerpts How did you get into espousing the cause of children in Oman? In these years, what were the sights that touched you the most in Oman?

I believe that our children are the future and we need to invest in them. Oman has achieved remarkable strides with respect to child rights, following the introduction of the Child Law in 2014. We have seen marked progress with respect to access to education and healthcare.

However, we still need to do more. We need to ensure that all children, especially those who are vulnerable and those with disabilities, are able to live to their maximum potential.

Tuning in on to Oman TV on November 20th, World Children’s Day last year and watching children take over the newsroom will remain one of my fondest memories.

Children are an integral part of the community and if we want to move towards sustainable development, it is imperative that our efforts begin with them. Their voices

need to be heard. Given the opportunity, the platform and the confidence, they can assist us in seeking innovative solutions to prevalent problems.

On the subject of child nutrition (plus iron deficiencies) – has there been improvement in the percentage of kids who are moderately to severely/ seriously underweight; physically undeveloped?

Maternal and child nutrition still needs attention. For example, despite progress due to the government’s wheat flour fortification programme, anaemia still affects 23.7 percent of young children in Oman and anaemia rate amongst pregnant women (29.3 percent in 2017). This, plus high stunting and wasting rates among children indicate the need to improve nutrition knowledge and infant and young-childfeeding practices.

To ensure sustainable impact, a targeted Nutrition Action Plan has been developed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other actors to ensures that strategic and effective action is taken for better health and nutrition. Areas highlighted for action include: the need for a National Social Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) campaign; and the need for promotion of physical activity in schools and communities. These two areas are already being addressed through the UNICEF programme with the government and as Children First Association we are working closely to support them in their endeavours.

Disabled children also have rights: have we shown improvement in their care over the years?

Oman has a range of specialised and mainstream services for children with disabilities. Most services are delivered by the NGOs; however, they are concentrated in major cities. The MOH has services for the early detection of disability among children and provides

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I have many dreams for Children First, the main one is to ensure that every child enjoy a healthy environment, be it emotional, cultural, physical or mental, with no discrimination in the social arena. genetic testing and health screening services for couples who enter into consanguineous marriages; however, such services are poorly utilised. Families need to be more aware of the causes, prevention and treatment of child disability.

Furthermore, 56 percent of public schools in Oman implement a special education programme. However, these classes are not integrated within regular classrooms and the number of trained and skilled teachers cannot keep up with the rapid expansion of education services for children with disabilities. Up until recently, inclusion was taken to mean that in regular schools, children with disabilities attended special classes, as opposed to having them in regular classes of students with no disabilities.

Additionally, the government is working towards an Inclusive School Policy and Roadmap that adopts a whole-school approach to equitable inclusion of all students within the Omani education system. Civil society are also working on a number of initiatives but we need to do more in this area ; using the experience and expertise of everybody who has an involvement in the lives of children to inform these developments.

In many countries, girls undergo discrimination.

How do you see Oman in this aspect? Do you see any inequalities between Omani boys and girls, especially when it comes to inheritance (family law)?

Oman has been a pioneer in the Gulf when it comes to women’s rights. His Majesty the Sultan has worked hard to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for women.

Forty eight years ago, there were no schools for girls in Oman. Today, Oman’s gender parity index increases in favour of girls as children progress from grades 1 to 12. National assessments show better promotion rates for girls than boys. International assessments show that female students in Oman perform consistently better than male students in reading, science and mathematics.

Furthermore, there are more women than men enrolled in institutions of higher education. The participation of women in the labour force is also increasing on a daily basis. Additionally, Oman has been praised by the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women for its positive record in adhering to human rights conventions, and particularly welcomes the promulgation of the Royal Decree 55/2010 that supports women’s rights in the private sphere of family relations and marriage by preventing guardians from obstructing women’s decision to marry and/or their choice of husbands.

Having said that, Oman is a Muslim country and abides

by the Islamic Sharia, which is the basis for legislation in Oman. Sharia Court Departments within the civil court system are responsible for personal status matters.

How did you come to work with the UNICEF Oman?

What are, in your opinion, the priority areas you would want to pursue under your partnership with the UNICEF? I was greatly impressed with the work UNICEF has done in the Sultanate and the support it has always extended in improving the lives of children in support of the CRC. Initiatives that the government and UNICEF have taken in regard to early childhood education, nutrition and protection have shown fruition. As an international organisation, the UNICEF also provides an unparalleled platform to advocate for the rights of children. Therefore, I was naturally excited when the UNICEF approached the Children First Association to collaborate for the betterment of children in Oman.

Having very similar mandates, it was easy to assimilate our individual objectives to create a collective vision.

I think UNICEF is working on areas that comprehensively tackle the needs of the hour. Their efforts to support the government in strengthening its pre-schooling system, initiatives on nutrition and child protection, all deserve endorsement. Of particular importance to me, is their effort to support children with disability and mainstream inclusive education. This has been my personal objective for many years now. I sincerely believe that children of all backgrounds and physical or mental ability deserve the same opportunities.

I am looking forward to all the activities we will collaborate on this year, especially as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

What would you like to tell the children and the youth of Oman? Is there something special that you would like to tell them and/or do for them?

I would say read as much as possible, empower yourself with knowledge and achieve the highest IQ with all skills needed to be a leader and to specifically benefit from every opportunity.

Reading and learning is the most important aspect of progressing. It is with that aim we started the Children’s Public Library in Oman. Children need to read more. And I would also encourage the youth to move out of their comfort zone. They need to focus on their education and grab every opportunity that is available. They should never be afraid to innovate and create. We, at Children First, hope to create a positive platform for them. And, in the near future, we hope that the children would

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get an opening to participate and voice their independent views and progressively find solutions through their own efforts.

What are your current plans and goals for Children First and what is your ultimate dream?

I have many dreams for Children First, the main one is to ensure that every child enjoy a healthy environment, be it emotional, cultural, physical or mental, with no discrimination in the social arena.

Children First supported a lot of excellent initiatives – including the distribution of 200 child safety seats.

A few words on this.

The initiative to put every child in a car seat gained

BLACK & WHITE momentum with over 200 child seats distributed to spread awareness about child safety and practices. This was a campaign that I launched at the Sultan Qaboos University.

The initiative isn’t just about handing out child seats.

Simply owning car seats is just half the battle won. It is also about the importance of using them to protect children. We conducted a survey and were surprised to know that a number of people owned car seats but did not use them. Lack of space in the case of large families, or simply the inconvenience of having to strap children in for every journey, are some of the factors which contribute to this problem of a low percentage of child seat users on Oman’s roads. We have to continue our support to this cause and spread the word.

No child labour, homeless children in Oman: Suad Al Yazidy Problems like child labour, homelessness and lack of public health support for children are virtually nonexistent in Oman, a senior official of the ministry of social development (MoSD) said.

“In Oman, we don’t have problems related to child labour, homelessness etc.,” informed Suad bint Said Al Yazidy, director, child affairs department, MoSD in an interview with the Black & White.

Oman has many achievements in the realm of child rights to be proud of, she said, citing the recent report which revealed that Oman was the first country in the Middle East region to map child well-being and empowerment with a composite index that it developed for its own use.

The Sultanate is among the top five percent of countries in the world to provide comprehensive health coverage free to its citizens. A recent Child Welfare and Empowerment Index (CWEI) report also noted that it had component indicators covering five domains representing “material well-being, education, home environment of the child, risks and behaviour issues, and health and nutrition (with reference to

Suad Said Salim Al Yazidy, director, child affairs department, Ministry of Social Development children and adolescents from birth to 18 years)”.

MANY ACHIEVEMENTS “The Sultanate has had many achievements in the rights of children and we can be really proud of them all. You know that education is free; efforts made to ensure proper child health are also equally commendable,” Suad Al Yazidy said.

The MoSD was also successfully working to bring more awareness about children’s rights in every nook and corner of Oman, she added. “Take for example, our child affairs department, which has engaged itself in organising workshops and conferences to raise the needed awareness.”

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We don’t just try to make children aware, we also lend a very close ear to what they have to say. While there are various lectures, conferences, seminars and workshops, we talk directly to the children and patiently hear what they have to say.

Moreover, the MoSD was taking a step further by pushing the awareness directly to the children, who are the actual benefactors, Suad Al Yazidy said, citing the national strategy for children’s rights, which is working in cooperation with various ministries.

LISTENING TO THE CHILDREN “We don’t just try to make children aware, we also lend a very close ear to what they have to say. While there are various lectures, conferences, seminars and workshops, we talk directly to the children and patiently hear what they have to say.”

And the children have a lot to say. “They tell us

how they need more chances/opportunities; they need more awareness-related talks and measures, plus, they want the message in this regard to be spread to every child,” Suad Al Yazidy said, adding that suprisingly, children are more aware of their rights than one would give them credit for.

ENSURING SAFE HOMES Suad Al Yazidy also noted that Oman, through the MoSD, was doing everything possible to help and support abandoned and orphaned children.

“We work hard to find safe homes and loving parents for these children.”

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Oman’s efforts in Promoting Child Rights to Health, Education and Protection is Laudable: UNICEF Representative Oman’s efforts in promoting child rights across all sectors are quite laudable, says the UNICEF representative in Oman.

Lana Al Wreikat, UNICEF representative to Oman In an interview with the Black & White magazine on the issue of children’s rights, Lana Al Wreikat added that Oman offers a unique policy model in the region. The Sultanate adopted the CRC, and introduced a child law in 2014. The Sultanate also leads the Gulf region in environmental policy and legislation, which is a global issue now and also touches upon children and families.

“If you look at what the country has done at addressing mortality issues, child mortality of under the age of five; Oman is one of the best achievers, making it the world’s fastest rate of reduction of mortality in this age group. So are the cases with primary education and women empowerment, Lana said.

“Oman has many of the components for a good-child protection system in place, notable legislative reform and high-level commitment, which are reflected in the 2014 Child Law amongst others,” she added.

This year, 2019, is the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The UNICEF also recognises that Oman came in with a “very solid child protection law”. Along with the law, they also introduced child protection committees in all 11 governorates and the protection hotline that are entrusted with the reporting of child protection issues, the UNICEF representative said.

“Oman, will hopefully lead two big regional events, one on child protection and one on disability/autism in 2019,” she informed. “In September and November last year as part of child participation, UNICEF and the government supported children taking over high ranking positions in ministries and the private sector. They also took over the TV and the radio.

So this year we are going to plan big takeovers and many activities for children to participate,” Lana enthused.

Excerpts What is your opinion on Oman’s efforts on child rights

(including child health, etc.)? Do you feel there is a need for more efforts on some sectors and are any aspects neglected?

On a global scale , Oman is recognised for its progressive policies and the advances they achieved over the past three decades. In 2014 for example, Oman won the UN award for Public Services for the sixth consecutive year.

Additionally, another key achievement of Oman is their universal health and education coverage.

Strategic measures were taken to positively affect people’s lives. This includes pro-employment policies, access to land ownership for ordinary citizens, affordable consumer goods, universal health and education services etc.

The main challenges faced are of existing social norms in the nutrition field for example. We did a survey on nutrition with the MoH and we are working with the government to prevent stunting and wasting among children, anaemia, deficiency within women; we are trying to promote infant and young child feeding practices. This year we are also doing a barrier analysis to identify why woman are not breast feeding, based on which we shall work out solutions with the government.

The government is in the driving seat of all these activities and we extend technical support by research or introducing pilots that they can take to scale.

The achievements on the education front, including the teachers training and having a specialised center for this purpose, curricula reforms and child friendly education policies, etc. are commendable. The main focus currently is on

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This year, 2019, is the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The UNICEF also recognises that Oman came in with a “very solid child protection law" the early education system from ages four to six. We are working with the government trying to expand access to the ECD. On the issue of employability and employment, the two focuses on the national agenda are Omanisation and Tanfeedh.

Tanfeedh is the diversification of the economy. Oman being a country predominantly dependent on oil and having an oil- based economy, the government is doing positive steps forward to include economic diversification through tourism and other sectors. This means skilled and enhanced human resources with training and skills set for future. So we are working with the ministry of education on child friendly education, life skills and related issues, linking education to the workforce and equipping students with life skills etc.

Support to children with disability through a case management system across all sectors and inclusion in schools. We are looking at some cross-cutting strategies, like a social behavioural change campaign, communication for development etc., addressing those that require strengthening existing organisations, strategies to spread information about positive-reading practices, better parenting skills, equipping the service providers (teachers/health workers) on how to talk to the families and focusing on areas that we feel has an unfinished agenda.

We are expanding our partnerships for expanded results, working with NGO’s like the Children’s First Association under the patronage of Her Highness Sayyida (Dr) Muna bint Fahd Al Said, who is a great advocate for children. We have a partnership with them.

The UNICEF has a case-managing system: the casemanaging system that we are setting up with the ministries concerned with children is unique. So one of the areas where we are putting more efforts is trying to unite the sectors that are doing well and get them to work together. There are aspects when a child is born and you detect that there is a disability. So we are working on early intervention and early detection too.

This case management system is built with a lens on disability, so that there is a continuum of care throughout their lifecycle and throughout all sectors.

With this, we have the ministries of social development, health, education and National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) sitting around one table.

Cases that require protection: if a child is abused, there is a hotline to report. But then this goes through

the whole ministry of social development, the police and the judiciary. We have the case management system with SOP, it’s a complicated system we built and are piloting into areas where it’s going to scale after. The case management system looks at these two and also looks at an integrated approach to early childhood development of children from zero to eight years, having the full spectrum of services. So that’s how we’re basically trying to assist.

We will pilot the system in two wilayat this year for the government to scale up.

Of course, the key thing is building evidence and bringing issues to the surface as they arise. So we have done situation analysis on children. We have worked on an important study with the NCSI. It was an excellent research piece on child welfare and empowerment index where we basically worked on a composite index work; we had four indicators that looked at child survival, health, nutrition and so on. And then one on welfare that has to do with education, housing, etc.

Oman scored high compared to other countries when we used that. When we used that index to look across Oman, we concluded that in terms of education, they are doing well in Muscat and Musandam, but less in other governorates. We also understood that, because for us, as UNICEF, the country’s doing well, and we just have to see where it has not reached; for us to make sure we have an equitable approach. So that’s how we work around it. This year we were hoping to do a situation analysis on youth and adolescent as well, with the government and UNFPA, to fulfil what we do in UNICEF, in terms of generation unlimited. And this is important if we are looking at education employability, adolescent health, especially if we are talking about adolescent girls. We talked about nutrition, anaemia and Vitamin D deficiency among others.

So in a nutshell, this is the situation and we are trying to be strategic as much as possible in terms of a targeted approach, so as to not be all over the place.

This year, 2019, is the 30th year of the adoption of the

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convention rights by the CRC. We have to recognise that Oman came with a very solid child law and with that law they also introduced child protection committees that are entrusted with the reporting of child protection issues and monitoring.

Oman, will hopefully lead two big regional events, one on child protection and one on disability/autism.

In September and November, last year, we supported children taking over high ranking positions. They took over the TV and the radio. So this year we are going to plan big takeovers and many activities for children to participate.

Are issues of child health, obesity, child poverty, etc. being rightly addressed?

Looking at exact economic figures, evidence and data, the unfinished agenda does not have to do with poverty.

Oman is a high income country. I think, going back on the social norms and practices, there are lot of good ones that need to be reinforced and more applicable.

Obesity is an issue for example in some regions. We are on that with the ministries of health and education, as we work through the NCD committee on an action plan. This year, we launched a programme called ‘Al Haraka Baraka’ (movement is a blessing), literally meaning when you move it is better! It is a tailored version of the UNICEF’s programme where you unlock the benefits to the school by having children practice sports. We give them wrist bands. The ideas are to integrate exercise and these values within their daily routine in the class so that they do the minimum physical activity in school. We are launching it in four schools now.

We are working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the NCD committee of MoH in terms of policies, and limiting the sugary drinks and other related aspects. And the answer to the question: Yes the issues are being properly addressed. I think there is a very genuine effort by the government, private sector and community.

As far as Oman’s efforts on child rights are concerned, do we see proper strategy, coherence and

BLACK & WHITE

action? Your thoughts?

Yes there is a proper strategy in terms of coherence.

Now the ministries are coming together, we have a programme management group, when it comes to child rights, where we don’t work with each ministry individually and they all sit around the table to discuss children issues and how to address them. The programme is managed by the programme management group, with the ministry of social development, education, health, NCSI and now even the ministry of finance is joining. We are also talking about the sustainable development goals, how we achieve them and so on. That is in terms of the coherence and alignment with the national plans and vision 2040.

Do children in Oman have the right to a safe, child friendly public realm?

Oman has many achievements on this front to be proud of. If we look at the rights-based approach where it is rights versus needs. Oman recognises in its systems, laws, policies and national plans that ‘every child has the right to education, health, play, participate and have his/ her voice heard, etc…’. For us, that is the angle. I mean we do not speak about the child needing education, health and protection. They are right holders.

It is not only the family’s or the parent’s duty, it belongs to the entire community; first local and then even international. Children, parents, family, local communities and international communities together are a chain of right holders and duty bearers, where the ultimate responsibility sits with the government.

A few words on the UNICEF mascots: Saif and Muzna. What do they signify?

The UNICEF with the Children First Association created children-friendly mascots. We are hoping these wonderful characters will come to life this year. We will try and have an animation programme. They are two Omani children, who will speak to other children and interact with their families, with the public to reinforce positive social norms and practices. This is a part of our social behavioural change programme.

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Right to be happy – most important right for a child: Shununa Salim Al-Habsi Every child needs to be protected, treated with care and respect, but the most important right for a child is the right to be happy, notes a well-known Omani educational expert.

“I believe every child needs to be protected, nurtured with respect, regard and responsibility. However, the most important right I feel is the RIGHT to be happy. A child needs to be happy!” stressed Shununa Salim Al-Habsi, educational expert at the office of the Undersecretary of Education and Curricula, Ministry of Education (MoE), to the Black & White.

Shununa, who has been working with the child rights team and is also part of the advisory board for child rights of the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), spoke at length about the rights of the child in Oman.

EVERY CHILD HAS A RIGHT “Child rights are a really important aspect for the government of Oman and also for the private sectors and the NGOs as well, plus the local community. The MoE is working very closely and in a very strategic and sustainable way in promoting children rights in the education sector,” Shununa said.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION She noted that it was very pertinent to bring to focus a very important element, that is, the Philosophy of Education in Oman, which was approved by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in May 2017.

“The Philosophy of Education contains a lot of important elements including child rights, human rights and promoting sustainable development aspects and elements in the education sector. So this is one of the important elements that the MoE is building its programmes and activities on. We also have some regulations and systems that are promoting child rights. Of course, if you take the sector of education, it’s all child rights, starting from the infrastructure of the schools itself and the programmes that are provided to children, plus the curricula itself.”

Take the example of the curricula in Oman which is provided to children in schools, Shununa said. “In fact, it contains lots of activities and subjects that promote and create awareness to children for their rights.

For example: their right to education, their right to have a voice, their right to participation, their right to play, their right

Shununa Salim Al-Habsi, educational expert, office of the Undersecretary of Education and Curricula, Ministry of Education for protection etc. It is a complete umbrella that the MoE has created to promote child rights and sustainable development as well for education by 2030.”

QUALITY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN One of the sustainable development goals is to provide quality education for all children.

“So we are working on that with the different departments in the MoE and in schools, plus the fruitful collaboration with the different sectors in the country, like the ministry of social development, Sultan Qaboos University, ministry of health and also the Omani Human Rights Commission, the UNICEF etc. So we have a lot of activities that have been implemented in relation to child rights,” Shununa noted.

WORLD’S LARGEST LESSON 2018 The MoE organised a very important workshop in 2018 called the World’s largest Lesson for Sustainable Development for Children in Oman.

“This is a United Nations’ initiative and Oman was invited through the MoE and we launched this event on November 15th, last year, and we will be doing this every year.

We promoted the 17 goals with relation to child rights and sustainable development. We created awareness for children and it was a very huge and very well-received event. Children participated from various schools and institutes, under supervision/ training conducted workshops, interactive games and activities highlighting the 17 goals,” Shununa said.

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protocols that have been developed by the MoE. “This is to support teachers and social workers in the schools on how to protect children from abuse, violence, etc. within AWARENESS PROGRAMME FOR CHILD RIGHTS the schools and at home as well, all developed since 2017.

Shununa noted that the best way to success in the “The MoE, of course, has integrated the child rights child rights issue is to promote and create awareness.

“The more the children know about their rights, the task from the CRC convention within its programmes, activities of protecting their rights become easier. We created an and within the Omani school curricula. I am fortunate to have been working in the Child Rights team for 11 years. awareness programme for child rights for schools and I started implementing this here first, in the ministry. From And now, I am in the advisory board with the SQU for the undersecretary to all officials and departments were child rights.”

JOY AND PRIDE channelised to be involved!”

“Under the visionary leadership and policies of our NEW CAMPAIGN IN ASSOCIATION WITH OHRC beloved leader His Majesty the Sultan, every child, be it Shununa revealed that there were huge plans to Omani or expatriate, is protected. It’s for all children that kickstart another child rights awareness programme in are in Oman. association with the Oman Human Rights Commission.

What brings pride to me is the government “This progamme is currently under planning. This is a very huge project and it’s for the 11 governorates. It will commitment and the partnership, collaboration between the different entities that gives us all a national unity in the span for three years. child rights issue,” Shununa said.

These are glimpses of some of the programmes and

Our children are tomorrow’s leaders While Oman is committed to the Child Rights of the United Nations Convention, do not forget that this is an Islamic country and we are guided by the principles of Islam. Oman tries to strike a balance between the two.

The Rights of the Child is viewed very seriously by the authorities concerned. However, we are a growing nation and have a lot to catch up with in so far as guarding principles whether in this area or any other. There is a strong will to keep up with international trends, to do so, we need to prepare and train our people for new changes. These changes must be well guided in order to bring the required effects be it in the cultural, religious or political spheres. Humans are not easily adaptable to changes. Oman is proud of its achievements in areas of education, health, welfare etc. Every child in this country has a right to free services in these areas. Our orphans have one of the best care in the world.

Parents should be brought to justice if they fail to ensure

Barka Shahbal Al Bakry, International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) National Representative Oman that their children are given access to education and training which the government provides free.

The children of today are our leaders of tomorrow.

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January 2019 P45

Children are a great responsibility: Qatrelnada Al Khonji Since children are the most vulnerable part of the society, their rights should be highly respected and actively aimed to be fulfilled by us -- adults. We hold great responsibility because we have the power in making crucial decisions that may significantly change children’s life and shape their future.

On the subject of Children’s Rights, I have some points to make, which include the safety and security of children on the streets, equal right to education regardless of upbringing or health condition, and the right of a child to his mother during infancy.

WHEELS OF DEVELOPMENT FOREVER Being born in the 90’s in Muscat, I have heard of various developments to the healthcare and education sector in Oman yet, I have not experienced the change similar to citizens from the previous generation. Development though shall never stop, and we should all play a role to ensure elevation to the rights provided to children of the future.

OMAN – IDEAL FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Oman, to me, is the ideal place for young families to feel safe in bringing up their children in multicultural safe communities and neighbourhoods. With urbanisation, and the way cities and neighbourhoods are now developed we continuously see less children playing and building relations with other children in the area. This issue may be resolved by having safe pavements within neighbourhoods, which lead to the playgrounds, in addition to 24/7 CCTV monitoring. Increasingly, houses are having less outdoor space within the house fence. Also, most children are caught in the attractive wrap of technology and family numbers are reducing.

LESS CHANCE FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD FRIENDSHIPS Free play is critical to early childhood development. But, children are enjoying less opportunities to do so with neighbours; nurseries are not subsidised and those nurseries in the private sector are either unaffordable to an average citizen or are not closely monitored to ensure sufficient attention is given to every child.

REASONS FOR GREAT PRIDE The education system in Oman has gone through dramatic changes in the last 50 years. The number of schools, teachers and students have increased massively and nowadays participation in primary and secondary schools is at its highest. The development and effort put into this process are so visible in our society on a daily basis and gives me great pride.

Qatrelnada Al Khonji, member - National Youth Commission CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS However, living in Oman are over 1.6 million children of which approximately 0.45 percent are with special needs. Understandably, some of them will be unable to study but many of them will need the special education they deserve. Unfortunately, our public schools are not equipped and trained to enroll any of those children for most age groups. In addition, our teachers are unfortunately not trained to identify nor deal with children suffering from disorders dyslexia or ADHD. I appreciate that there are increased efforts from the government to give these children the right to adequate standard of education with the cost of their education being five times higher than the general education yet, most of it is provided centrally in Muscat. I would like to see greater focus from the private sectors' corporate social responsibility budgets towards this initiative.

RIGHT OF A CHILD TO HIS MOTHER The right of a child to his mother in terms of the time she is able to dedicate to her child is nowadays more limited in many cases due to work and other commitments of the mother. The Oman Labour law has given the right for a working woman to refuse working during the night. Children in their infancy need to spend a lot of time with their mothers for a number of reasons. For many women it will be to provide the baby with milk, which essentially does not only nourish the child but also helps to create special bond and to build a healthy relationship between the mother and her child. In this respect, working mothers of infants should be offered flexible working conditions as well as extended maternity leaves could be considered to be able to fulfil this right regardless of their job position and career path.

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BORN IN THEIR HEARTS Maysam and Mohammed.

These are two young Omani kids living separate lives, in different homes but with one unique connection. They are both embraced by two set of incredible parents who are an example not just amongst their peers but have trailblazed a path for future parents of adopted children in Oman. These parents, Ibtisam Al Riyami and Issam Al Kindi and Marya Al Balushi and Anwar Al Balushi have raised the bar for Oman by several notches with their exemplary action and taken a step further to bring about more awareness to those wanting to adopt. For these parents, it is not just about fulfilling their lives with the magic of children, they want to pass on this magic to others, to make the lives of others just as joyful and fulfilling. For these parents, adoption has also became a cause that they fervently believe in. They hope to further their cause by making it into a movement of likeminded people and wipe out the stigma that exists in the realm of adoption.

Issam Al Kindi and Ibtisam Al Riyami

Children from the hearts ADOPTION ENRICHED OUR LIVES Ibtisam and Issam are proud parents of eight-year old Maysam and six-year old Omar, both adopted when they were just three months. “Our lives are enriched by their presence, coloured with beautiful hues of unlimited love and affection, joy and trust. Children do that to your lives. No words can contain the emotions in our hearts.

Maysam and Omar completed us and fulfilled our lives.

We are a complete family now!” said Ibtisam and Issam.

A SIMPLE EXPLANATION By the way, what exactly is the difference between naturally born and adopted children?

Let’s take the words from the delighful Maysam’s mouth: “You (naturally born) came from your mummies’ tummies; we (the adopted ones) came from our

mummies’ hearts!” Maysam had explained in this manner to one of her classmates who had a rather dire view of adoption. Now, this is a priceless view from a precious child. A view formed and embedded in the heart of Maysam thanks to her parents, Ibtisam and Issam. Both Ibtisam and Issam were open to all about the fact that Maysam was adopted. Unlike some parents, they did not hide the fact from Maysam too.

FOREVER FAMILY Ibtisam and Issam told Black & White recently how they broke the news to her.

The duo kept it very simple and spoke in a manner that was appropriate to their daughter’s age. But they did not cut any corners either. They told her very clearly that she came from different parents; that she was grown in

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another mother’s belly and then how she was adopted by her new set of parents and how they finally became a family – a ‘forever family’.

MOMMIES OF THE HEART, NOT TUMMIES “We sat with Maysam when she was old enough to understand and slowly explained to her that she was born in our hearts -- that she was adopted. This process is very crucial because we did not want our child to know from other sources that she was adopted. That was our responsibility. We wanted her to understand that we are her parents and we loved her unconditionally and with everything we got. We told her we are a special family and that families came in all shapes and sizes. It was a healthy and comfortable discussion that made the bonds between us closer and stronger. Today, Maysam is a mature kid with phenomenal acceptance and abundant love for all,” Ibtisam and Issam explained.

CHILDREN FROM THE HEART “We were not worried that she would be hurt or feel insecure by our revelations. In fact we clearly remember an occasion when Maysam returned home from school and told us that one of her classmates had declared that ‘all adopted children would suffer’.

Maysam smiled and told me that she cleared her friends doubt telling her that she was adopted and that she knew what adoption was all about. ‘We may not have come from our mommy’s tummy, but we came from her heart!’ she explained to her classmate!”

After this incident,Ibtisam and Issam relaxed. They realised that not only did their daughter absorb the message and the truth behind it, but it also made them aware that Maysam was made of a different mettle.

“We spoke to her (and also to their other adopted child) and told them in their own simple language about their real parents and ensured that they understand that we hold their birth family members with the highest of respect. We let their little minds understand why their lives were the way they were. No one is doing any child a favour by adopting them. In fact the truth is the other way around! It is the children that give us more by accepting us as their parents and trusting uswith their future.

“Adoption is a beautiful path less travelled. Every child needs a secure and loved home. And it is our duty to provide them that security and protection laced with love and attention. It is their birthright.”

A CONSCIOUS DECISION Ibtisam explained how and why they decided to adopt: “A few years back, a friend’s social media post on adoption first triggered the thought of adoption in me,” Ibtisam recalled. She went on a research spree for some years, made herself up-to-date with

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the information on adoption, interacted with both her peers who were informed of the topic and also other specialists.

“I also discussed at length with my husband. Soon, we were both on the same track. We jointly made up our mind – we decided to adopt.

“Once Issam agreed, we approached our parents. My mother gave me the go-ahead, not once, but three times.

That was the first time when we felt relieved and free to choose.”

THE PIECE THAT COMPLETED THE PUZZLE Of course, the process was anything but easy. “There were many conditions and requirements, but we learnt them and went through the whole process. We realised and understood that bringing a child into our lives is a major decision that not only affects us both, but also our family members, young and old, and all others we encounter on a daily basis. Also, it is not a 10-month period, but a sudden entry!

“Maysam brought unconditional love, joy and bliss to our family. Our lives were changed overnight! She was like the piece of a missing puzzle that just fitted in right!”

CHILDREN FROM THE HEART Then the couple made their second major decision.

They decided to give Maysam a brother through the same route. They got a brother – Omar -- from the heart!

“Once again, when we decided to bring a sibling for Maysam, we spoke to her heart-to-heart and told her that she was always going to be our first love and the brother was only for her – a gift for her!

“Of course, like any other siblings they too get caught in their own world: they do exhibit feelings of sibling rivalry but otherwise they enjoy great camaraderie; they love each other very much!

It would be only right to say that Maysam and Omar gave us a life and made our home, not the other way round. The children were our need. They expanded our hearts!” Ibtisam and Issam enthused.

ANGER WILL NOT, AWARENESS WILL Every child is special and needs to be protected and nurtured with care and attention. That rule applies for the adopted child too. A child is a child in any scenario.

The insecurities and fear a parent has over the safety of her child remains the common factor. Every child will have to face the world alone, be it at home or in the neighbourhood or at school. “So it is pertinent that we

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prepare our children with the right thoughts and a clear mind. There is no point in getting angry when your child is ridiculed or looked down upon or made to feel different just because s/he is adopted. The stigma and inhibitions attached to adoption and adopted children and adoptee parents will clear only if awareness is created.

ADOPTION GROUP So we embarked upon this journey to bring awareness and created an adoption group: ‘Born in our Hearts’, a few years back.” Ibtisam revealed. The group, which

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began with just three mothers has now 35 like-minded and active members, who are determined to spread the word, create awareness and bring about change.

The group addresses various topics and issues from child development, psychological, emotional, physical aspects of the adopted child as well as the parents and the day-to-day challenges.

Bringing awareness will bring great change in the mindset and foster greater understanding amongst all concerned, they believe.

Anwar Al Balushi and Marya Al Balushi

Setting a brilliant example to the world Many adoptive parents are driven by their desperate need to have children. Marya Al Balushi and Anwar Al Balushi were no different but they had an even greater desire: they wanted to set an example. They weren’t just following their maternal and paternal urges, they wanted to go a step further and make a statement to the world – especially a world where some frowned down upon adoption.

CHILD’S NEEDS ABOVE ALL And in the case of Marya and Anwar, there was opposition against their decision right from the start.

But, this is a couple that not only believed that they need to place their future child’s needs above everyone else’s, including their family, and yet they were also considerate enough to convince and woo those initially against their decision to follow their path.

They waded strongly and confidently through the turgid waters of misconceptions, lack of knowledge about adoption to sheer dislike and stiff opposition.

But the duo had all of them singing to a different tune in time. And the best part is that they did not wait for anyone’s approval to go ahead with their decision: they decided, they adopted and only then did they inform their families.

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The couple took everything in their stride for in their arms was a beautiful boy that not only completed them but put them on a new path where they set him as an example to those that often hesitated to take this major plunge. Marya’s and Anwar’s lives changed dramatically the moment they held their beautiful three-month old baby in their hands. Today, the baby has grown into a young, bright and confident boy, all of six and the proud father, Anwar explained to us how they had felt at that moment they held their bundle of joy.

It was like being gifted with the horn of plenty, Anwar said.

“Actually, it’s very difficult to explain what adopting a child is to a person who cannot feel the way we feel…

So, let me try to explain: Imagine you are given a fullyloaded limitless ATM card enabling you to withdraw any amount of money from the bank. What will you do?

Obviously, withdraw all the money you can and pursue your goals, dreams and ways of happiness, right? You are suddenly endowed with a gift of abundance without conditions and limitations… now, that’s what you get when you adopt a child: an open cheque of happiness!” said a jubilant Anwar.

ADOPTION IS A NOBLE ACT “Adopting a child is just pure bliss for the parents and we believe that and a committed parenthood is a noble act. Every little child deserves the best. It is a responsibility that will take you on to a path of happiness without conditions,” Marya added.

OUR SPARK OF LIFE, OUR INSPIRATION “Mohammed came in to our lives when he was just three months old. Since that day, he has trusted us with an unconditional acceptance. He is our spark of life, our inspiration that brings out the best in us. He is the force that drives us to do our best for the society,” Marya and Anwar noted.

“Mohammed is a very smart and thoughtful child who understands everything with a great degree of maturity.

Though he does not have many questions on adoption and his birth family, he sometime silences me with a simple comment, ‘Mama, I am convinced that you are my mom and that is all that matters!’” Marya recalled.

“He has won us over with his beautiful love and acceptance. Sometimes it is surprising how a small and innocent child is able to teach us, adults, so much about humility.

Adopting a child was like unfolding a vision for us. Of course, we thought of it even before we were married.

We knew that the elders in our family would not accept our decision with open arms. But we successfully convinced our parents. It took us time,them too, but when we stood strong in our beliefs and thoughts,

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they came around accepting our decision. Mohammed became a source of joy to one and all. Adopting a child still is considered a taboo in some quarters, some feel it is against the nature, others feel it is against the religion, but the truth is that a child is beyond all such borders and limitations!” Marya and Anwar noted.

GIVING BACK TO OUR SOCIETY, MAKE ANOTHER LIFE BETTER “We owe it to our society. We owe it to our future, our community. Adopting and taking care of a child is the need of the nation. Because children are our future; and by taking the right step we can initiate change towards goodness, tolerance with responsibility. A society can only be as good as its members living in it. So go ahead, and make someone’s life better. Each one of us needs to take a decision on our own to march forward together.

The nation has given you its bit, now it is time to give back,” Anwar stressed.

NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND “Let us not be selfish beings. Let us pass it forward, do our bit and take care of a child, nuture and protect it, grow that little innocent human being into a mature responsible and righteous adult who will contribute to the society tomorrow, progressively taking the nation forward. For every little goodness and kindness we have enjoyed, let us pass it forward. When you leave a child behind, you are leaving the nation behind,” the couple noted.

STAND UP FOR YOUR BELIEFS, SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT Life is full of challenges, but it does not mean you have to go with the flow. You don’t have to be childless or be in any compromising position to decide. Have the courage to swim against all currents and come out strong in your beliefs, they added.

Marya and Anwar also noted that adoption was actually bridging a gap and it was not fulfilling just one need. It brings a child and a parent together. It makes a family.

“Adoption is a very challenging responsibility and should not be taken as a solution to what you consider a shortcoming. By creating awareness, we intend to spread the positivity and goodness of protecting a child and giving her or him the very best future.

“But, adopting a child should be your need too and not just the child’s need alone. The child actually fulfills your lives and it becomes your responsibility to enrich his/her life and make him/her a responsible human being who will be an asset to any society he/she lives in.

We sincerely hope we can spread the awareness of the need to adopt and the goodness it reflects,” the couple concluded.

Text: Adarsh Madhavan and Priya Arunkumar. Photos: Hisham Al Riyami. Acknowledgments: OHRC for images in the annual planner

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FOR HER

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FOR HER

January 2019 P53

Jane Sanders was walking to railway station one bright morning when she chanced upon two young pretty looking polluters of the environment. They were busily puffing away at their cigarettes, totally oblivious of the effect they were having on Jane, an environmentalist and anti-smoking, anti-drugs advocate. But the rest of the world seemed to be oblivious of these two young smokers too. It seemed as though only Jane was bothered. She wanted to run up to them and tell them to stop smoking. That it will kill them. That it looks ugly and soon they are going to look ugly. Do they want that?

Jane had a train to catch, otherwise she would have put her message across. Quite firmly.

She has over the years managed to wean many a youngster from the smoking habit, but not without getting snubbed and told to bug off or getting into legal wrangles (she had tried desperately to wean her friend’s daughter off the smoking habit but the latter filed a false stalking case against her).

WORRYING FACTORS A worried Jane got into the train. She was worried about the morning sight of the two girls smoking and it was sort of a sign for her. Lately, the worrying news was that more and more young women were caught in the smoking habit, perhaps even more than young men.

Across the world, reports were coming in with this alarming new trend. Today, the highest rate of smoking is found in young people aged 20 to 29. And statistics reveal the disturbing truth: Young women were most likely to smoke than young men.

THE ATTRACTION What is it that draws young women to smoking?

“The same thing that has drawn young men since the beginning: the attractiveness in smoking. In young men, it was a call to be macho, to be independent, to be rebellious, to be young, to be casual, to be free,” says Jane. And it is the same with young women: it calls them to be free, to be independent, to be sophisticated, to be fashionable, to be attractive.

ADDICTION WILL KILL “I would like to tell them that it is actually going to be the other way around. Once they get addicted, they are going to be chained to the smoke, no longer free, but in a trap they may never be able to get out and they are going to look ugly and sick. And most importantly, they are going to die!” The stark manner in which Jane has drawn her conclusions on the fate awaiting young women smokers may perhaps deter them, or perhaps not.

DANGERS THAT AWAIT But Jane’s version is not far from reality. While these young lady smokers are caught in the web of the campaigns promoted by the tobacco industry, there is an active smoking cessation camp that is trying to bring them out of the smoke, citing many dangers.

These dangers include: women are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of smoking than men. Why? According to Jane, women have a slower metabolism of nicotine and a higher level of DNA pathways for nicotine.

Statistics also show that there has been a near 50 percent increase in lung cancer in women over the last two decades. And this is in comparison to a sizeable decrease among men smokers. In some countries, studies has established that lung cancer kills more women than even breast cancer.

KILLING LUNG CANCER Studies note that women smokers are twice as likely to die from lung cancer than men smokers.

“However, if smoking is given up by the age of 30, more than 90 percent of the risk will be reduced.

Women’s reproductive health is also at risk if they smoke, including higher rates of cervical and vulvar cancers, premature menopause, irregular menstruation, and reduced fertility. There is a tenfold increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, if women both smoke and use oral contraceptives,” a study said.

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P54 January 2019

Letter to all children worldwide

By Sitara Morgenster

D

EAREST child, Wherever you are appearing on this earth, you are a wonder.

We don’t know where you came from. And the ultimate source of breath that gives you life until you draw your last is a mystery to all of us, even to the wisest of the wise.

As a family, a society, a culture, a religion and even -- these days -- as an economy, we claim ownership of you as soon as you come out of your mother’s womb. In most countries, we give you a tax-number straightaway, claiming this is for your benefit. With baby fashiondesign, we set out to define and imprint your gender on you. Perhaps more sophisticated than when I was tiny - girl? Pink socks! Boy? Blue socks! - but nevertheless. We look at you with eyes filled with desire of all the things WE are hoping you will fulfil, for us or for yourself, in your lifetime.

Seldom do we look at you as a creature already complete, like a seed containing a tree, imprinted by nature (sourced by God). As Kahlil Gibran put it, you are “the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself”, only for us to nurture, feed, protect and love with open arms, open mind and open heart, while you show us, in your own time, what you have come here to express and gift to the world and others.

Dearest child, forgive us that at this point in time of the history of our species, we expect you to perform in a way already preordained for you. A bit like slavery used to be. We want you to be a

productive member of our society.

Very, very soon, we will fill your life with things you must do or say and with ways to behave to please or appease others. We will forget to grow you emotionally strong, because most of us ourselves have not been grown emotionally strong and will not remember how to do this, how to live and “teach” with a profound capacity to feel and intuit this existence from the place prior to thinking and knowing, and thereby interact with others (human, animal or plant) and take action for the wellness of nature and the world.

In this way we will rob you of your inherent happiness. As a result, you will develop an addictive reliance on other people, or acknowledgment and success, or objects, food, substances or activities, to become okay and happy. You will forget that you are already happy and okay and complete. That your mysterious, wonderous birth was IT, and that anything else in word or deed is simply a bonus, a free gift.

Dearest child, forgive us for interfering with you by teaching you swiftly that your behaviour and conduct must be based on outer authorities, be it parents or teachers or religions or governments or even science, as opposed to your own, unique for you, inborn, internal source of wellness and wisdom.

Like the seed containing the tree.

Nature has plans for you, even if that doesn’t fit the current systems, even if those plans are misunderstood or not economically viable.

Dearest child, there’s no doubt that most parents, extended families, teachers and even

community, to the best of their abilities, understanding and experience, love you very much and have your best interest at heart.

But for thousands of years, your species has been neglecting its obligation to, collectively, become intelligently active in all aspects of human development wherever on this earth. You will therefore inherit a crisis that will not be solved by more technology or economic growth. The natural world is dying and we are on the verge of human extinction, taking with us species from nature’s cornucopian basket of life. A self-created crisis that will fundamentally confront the minds, perceptions and values of all human beings very soon, if not already. Dearest child, may you find the strength to cling to your wise inherent knowledge, which feeds your love of life and guards you from all the forces of consumerism and culture that are trying to possess your attention; the realisation of free-feeling existence; the most honourable and most profound and most sacred of all teachings, which is already yours.

This is your nature-given birthright.

&

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Sports for all

By Nasra Al Adawi “Teach your children swimming, archery and horse riding.” The words of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) echoed in my mind during a visit to a sporting event, recently.

This hadith is a true testimony to the importance of sports. And it is our responsibility to teach our kids sports of all kinds and especially those that will help enhance their motor skills and also enable them to learn various other skills.

A recent visit to Muscat’s Healthy Lifestyle Festival, which I had made along with my children, clearly reinforced my belief on the importance of sports.

It was thrilling to witness the eagerness of youth taking part in different sports competitions. It also opened my eyes as to how young kids wanted to take part in these competitions even though some of them were not even meant for kids.

We are in need of creating more community sporting arenas in and around Oman, which will help engage the youth in activities and also give them an understanding that sport is way of life.

Yes, there are plenty of sports’ clubs. But, sadly, these clubs remain inaccessible for many members of the community since most of them are not located in residential areas and this itself alienates those who are in distant areas from benefitting from these

facilities. In recent years, we have seen growth of green football pitches to enable football enthusiasts to take part in sports.

Still, it falls short of the actual need to cater for the whole community and therefore the purpose is lost.

When we engage the community in sporting activities, it’s considered to be a great tool in building resilience towards committing crimes, engaging in violence and/or using drugs, as stated by UNODC. They have continued to emphasise on this issue by launching a global youth anti-crime initiative that is revolving around the power of sports as the key tool for peace.

Moreover, the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development also highlights the same elements that sports assist in empowering individuals and communities as a whole and its contribution towards betterment of health, education and as well creating social inclusion.

Therefore, there is a greater need to allow children and youth to access community sporting and to reduce the limitation that make sports eligible only for those who can afford it!

It is high time to create the buzz towards a greater goal of ‘sports for all’ and not limit it to only sports athletes but to widen the horizons so that sports is infused in our strategies to get every child and the youth to

actively participate in sports for life. We should strive to eliminate exceptions so that communities can be uplifted as well engage those who are in the field, such as sports coaches, who can guide and coach children and youth on life skills that enables them to resist adverse social pressure, which can in turn can eliminate delinquency.

Let me push home the point that this is not just a single person’s vision or a singular view, rather, it’s a community's vision and so I would like to call out to all of you out there to actively take part in #ChooseSport and be a part of spreading the energy of sports and taking part in uplifting our community.

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COOKING

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Easy salads Recent dietary guidelines elines ad advocate eating ting whol whole eggs, including yolk, as part of a healthy diet. And egg salads in its pure, natural state (meaning hard boiled eggs, a little salt and pepper) is 100 percent a-okay for all. Here are a few easy salads you can try at home.

Simple egg salad

Salad without mayonnaise

Ingredients: 8 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon plain yogurt 2 teaspoons tahini 2 teaspoons za’atar salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chopped pickle (optional) 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

Method: Mix chopped eggs, yogurt, parsley, onion powder, paprika, and salt together in a bowl.

Method: Mix yogurt, tahini, za’atar, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; fold in pickle. Gently stir eggs into tahini mixture.

Devilled egg salad Ingredients: 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

Method: Stir mayonnaise, green onion, mustard, rd, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper together in a bowl until smooth;; add eggs and gentlyy mix to coat in the mayonnaise mixture. e.

www.blackandwhiteoman.com ARIES March 21-April 20 Your artistic abilities come to the fore and you no longer feel the need to do what looks right, but you’ll be doing what feels right instead.

New and improved avenues will be opening up in the workplace in a few days. Don’t cancel nights out with friends, as they are forecast to be just what the doctor ordered.

HOROSCOPE

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TAURUS April 21-May 20

GEMINI May 21-June 21

Travel is well starred and you should find yourself visiting some new and exciting places over the course of the next seven days. Try not to have too strong an opinion on things you know nothing about or you could end up casting yourself in an immature light to the very faces you are trying to impress.

Travel you make in the name of your career pays dividends and you start to aim higher and dream bigger. You will come on in leaps and bounds this year and things are going to continue to get brighter for you. Family prove tiring and stressful, but keep going as you are giving a close one great support.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

June 22-July 23

July 24-August 23

August 24-September 23

Finances come to the fore and you start to realise that you are allowed to control your life and that you don’t have to bow down and do what everyone else wants all the time. A tired mind this weekend could see you cancelling the very events you needed to attend to get a moral boost.

There are many rewards to be gained from working hard this week, but that may mean you having to give up some of your spare time in order to complete things. A clash with someone you used to have a lot in common with is bringing you down and it may be a case of you having to deal only with the person concerned.

Those born under the sign of Libra can help you succeed in business and financial affairs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know all the answers. It’s the only way you’re going to be able to fill in those important blanks. The departure of a familiar face leaves you feeling nostalgic for the past.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Sep 24 - Oct 23

Oct 24 – Nov 22

Nov 23 - Dec 22

You could find yourself being taken advantage of if you are not careful this week. Try to be aware of what you are agreeing to, as many of the signs will be trying to get their own way, without considering what is best for you. The temptation to do something you shouldn’t in love could see you the talk of your inner circle.

You will be able to see with clarity this week who is good for you and who has been dragging you down.

You take steps to part ways with those who are a negative influence and you feel better and stronger for it. Don’t tell tales on those you work with midweek or it could come back on you tenfold.

Someone who you thought was a good influence on you has shown a side to themselves which has left you with doubts as to whether they should be a part of your life at all!

Go slow, as this time is set to reveal much about why they behaved as they did. Family make it hard for you to find all the time you want.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

December 23-January 20

January 21-February 19

February 20-March 20

There is a really strong air of excitement in the stars which is making it hard for you not to cast yourself as immature and giddy to those who are only just meeting you. Enjoy yourself and have fun Capricorn. You have needed to blow off some steam for days now.

Business negotiations can go well.

Family and close ones need your urgent attention for reasons which are going to mean a lot to both of you. It appears that you’ll be helping them move on from something which has, and continues to affect them. You’re playing the role of counsellor, and you do it very well. In fact you should be proud of yourself!

There are several challenges which will all require your attention over the coming days but I am sure that you can achieve and succeed with each and every one of them. A good week to break bad habits and to begin a healthier life style. It’s sure to have a knock-on-effect on all areas of your life if you do.

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P58 January 2019

One girl with courage is a revolution Dr Amita N. Vyas

M

Y eldest daughter is 14. In many countries around the world, that is exactly the age when being a girl becomes dangerous to her life.

In many parts of the world that means she is likely to drop out of school, suffer from anaemia, to be married off to an older man, have children long before her little body is ready (putting her at great risk for maternal death), and it’s possible, very possible, that she could be that one out of three girls around the world who experience physical or sexual violence. As the mother of a 14 year old girl, that is simply and unequivocally unacceptable. My adolescent daughter has big dreams, and whether you live in the suburbs of Washington DC, or the remote Atlas Mountains of Morocco, or in the poorest townships outside Capetown, or in the beautiful desert of Oman, or in any part of India, adolescent girls everywhere are dreaming big for themselves. I know this! I have sat with them. I have listened to them. I have heard the conviction and the drive in their voices, and the thoughtful ways in which they envision their futures. So then what’s the problem? Well, we need everyone else in her life to dream as big for her as she does for herself. For every

adolescent girl around the world, her parents, her teachers, her community leaders, her healthcare providers, her siblings, her everyone needs to believe in and invest in her. And how we do we change that?

Storytelling.

When I was 19 years old, I read a book – it told the inspirational story of a physician who travelled across the globe to care for the poorest of the poor. Six months later, I boarded a plane (with a few friends who were easily influenced by my naïve passion and enthusiasm) for Calcutta India (a city where I knew no one), and we literally knocked on the door of Mother Teresa’s Missionary in Calcutta India.

Twenty-seven years later, I still remember the address and knocking on the door of 54A Lower Circular Road. That one story I read changed my heart, my mind, and my soul. That one story of a person who had the courage to work among the poorest and most vulnerable inspired me to take action. That is the power of storytelling.

Storytelling can change the way we think. Stories that capture and hold our attention, and transport us into someone else’s world, can move us to tears, build empathy, change our attitudes, opinions and behaviours, and even inspire us to make a difference. And the science shows that emotive storytelling can actually change our brain chemistry by releasing cortisol and oxytocin, and most often, change our brains for the better.

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Girl Rising is a film that uses the power of storytelling to change the hearts and minds of people. Girl Rising was produced because of the growing data that educating girls has a positive impact on almost every indicator for poverty: from health, to food production, to governance and social stability, and perhaps most important of all, GDP growth.

During my experience working in Mother Teresa’s Mission for the Dying and Destitute, a place where men and women spent their last days and weeks of life, I spent countless hours listening to women as they shared their life stories. As I bathed these women, as I fed them, as I cleaned their bed sores, and caressed their aches, I listened. I listened to their stories. And that set me on my journey to public health, and led me to the most powerful truth – that investing in girls and women to ensure they are healthy, educated, and free from violence is the greatest investment opportunity of our time.

Women and girls make up half of the world’s population? Ok, so that makes them important.

And yet, too many are deprived of the opportunity to an education and to basic health care services. Studies show that women reinvest up to 90 percent of their incomes back into their families, compared to just 30 to 40 percent by men.

Mothers provide better nutrition and health care and spend more on their children. Investing in women and girls creates long-term social and economic benefits for all individuals, their communities, and the world as a whole.

So that makes sense, right?

If we provide education and health services in communities around the world, problem solved! Well, there are countless high quality organisations and programmes working on the ground to provide clinics, vaccines, schools, books, scholarships, family planning, nutritious meals and other resources for girls and women.

However, every day we know that millions of girls don’t have the opportunity to access these resources. The efforts of these life-saving and life-changing organisations will only flourish and will only have deep impact if we ensure that girls are actually making it in the door. Quite simply, we need to tackle the upfront barrier of changing how girls are valued. We want to help people (fathers, brothers, mothers, community leaders) to dream as big for girls as they do for boys.

Girl Rising is a film that uses the power of storytelling to change the hearts and minds of people. Girl Rising was produced because of the growing data that educating girls has a positive impact on almost every indicator for poverty: from health, to food production, to governance and social stability, and perhaps most important of all, GDP growth. And that was a big story that needed to be told.

So Girl Rising set out to change

the way parents and presidents around the world see their girls by creating a film with powerful girl-focussed content, and fueling a social campaign that engages grassroots advocates, policy experts, political and corporate leaders and every citizen of the world.

Since its release, the Girl Rising film has grown into a thriving global movement, with over 22,000 screenings and thousands of grassroots supporters in over 158 countries leading change for girls. And we’ve seen remarkable things happen as a result.

We are sitting on a huge opportunity to transform the world we live in, and investing in girls will make the world a safer, more stable, more prosperous, and a healthier place, more quickly than through any other development intervention.

When we invest in girls and women, we invest in the people who invest in everyone else.

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P60 January 2019

BLACK & WHITE

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P62 January 2019

Mended with a golden fix

By Priya Arunkumar

M

Y daughter has a fetish for Japanese.

She can read, write and even speak a few words, all on her own.

No, she has not taken an online course nor she is studying at a Japanese University (and neither is she a baby anymore)! Her fascination sprouted and shot up with her obsession with the Japanese from ‘One Piece’, a manga series cartoon character Monkey D Luffy, a boy whose body gained rubber-like properties after unintentionally eating a supernatural Gum-Gum fruit.

Ma, you need to be Kintsukuroied, she said.

As if that word was a verb which it wasn’t.

Well, now when your child speaks to you, you got to listen, right?

Especially if the word is all ‘foreign’ or strangely pronounced… and the child who is mouthing it looks serious enough to debate with you to the end just to convince her point.

You don’t throw away broken things or pottery away in Japan; instead you fix them beautifully, mending them with the resins laced with gold and silver, even expensive platinum, my daughter explained.

It means you fix the breaks and cracks, and display them in the finest glow.

It is an art, ma. Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi, means golden repair and is a centuriesold Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with a special lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Beautiful seams of gold glint in the cracks of ceramic ware, giving a unique appearance to the piece. The idea is to treat breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.

When your child grows big enough, remember to have that conversation with them.

It is mind-altering sometimes.

And a few days later, when I stood there in the messed up aftermath of a long-ranging, never-ending battle, my heart and spirit both raw, with no means to go on with my regular life, I thought of the golden fix. Maybe it is time you look at the world through a child’s eyes, especially when your adult, over-worked brain leaves you with no clarity.

When you are at a point of standing in lines going nowhere and nothing made sense, resilience, grit, strength, and courage are not words you want to think of; when we are expected to make sense of every storm that rage during the span of our all-too-human lives, shattering through the basic beliefs we had held about our time on this earth.

Some people never really recover. But, I want to.

So, here I am on a path to the golden repair, no more anxious about every single crack I bear, as long as it shines to show what I came out of from, not broken, but healed, mended and changed…shining and golden!

We are all beautifully damaged, in one way or the other. I don’t cover the scars on my neck anymore; neither will I shudder away from others.

I guess if a broken pot can be put together, in all golden hues and shine, holding it together with every crack as a part of its broken history, why not people? Living a life of simple happiness comes with a shining golden resilience maybe.

Yes, people can be the same way.

So can I. It is sometimes better not to get ‘over it’ and to just “live it”!

priya@blackandwhiteoman.com

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