Child Abuse in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

A. Definition of Child Abuse and NeglectChild abuse means “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2008). Neglect means “failure to provide for a child’s basic needs” (Joint Commission Resources, 2002, p. 6).B. Different Kind of AbusePhysical abuse includes inflicting harm or injury to a child via burning, biting, or punching whereas physical neglect means failure to provide the child with basic necessities like food and shelter (Joint Commission Resources, 2002, p. 6). Emotional abuse includes verbal or non-verbal actions that can cause a child to suffer from emotional, behavioral, or mental injury.

Other than incest, sexual abuse includes rape cases, sexual intercourse, or touching the child’s genital areas (Dickey, 2013).C. Convention on the Rights of the ChildThis Convention serves as the “first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights—civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights” (Unicef, 2005). This Convention aims to educate the people about the child’s right to live, become educated, receive medical care assistance, and be protected from abusive people and exploitation (Rasooldeen, 2011; Unicef, 2005). D. Children’s Rights in IslamIn Islam, each child has a “right to life and equal life chances” (Islamweb, 2013).

In fact, part of the 3rd commandment in Islam highlighted the need to preserve the child’s life. On top of the Islamic rule, Saudi has ratified the said Convention in 1996 (Rasooldeen, 2011). However, it is sad to say that child abuse remains rampant in Saudi Arabia (Dickey, 2013).