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Proactive approach needed to protect children from falls

A fresh look is needed to make our buildings and environments children-friendly.

Negligence, coupled with building design failures, have claimed a number of innocent lives in the UAE, and continue to do so. In 2015, we lost seven children who either slipped from windowsills or balconies of their high-rise apartments to death. Their sheer curiosity to lean over and see the wider sky, greener playground or livelier streets ended tragically. As Khaleej Times report points, there is a strong need for an education campaign that targets parents and industry, at large. We need to create awareness and highlight the dangers of windows and balconies. Many older buildings in the emirates have features such as insufficient sill heights, lack of window locks and guards, which present significant risks to children. Regulatory change is required, for new buildings as well as older ones. Retrofitting of existing buildings is a must, and stricter and harsher penalties should be imposed on defaulters, parents and caretakers. Parents bear complete responsibility of raising children in a protective environment. No excuse is big enough and no measure completely foolproof, if the parents and caregivers are negligent and have a carefree attitude towards the safety of children. We need to be more proactive and assertive in taking precautionary measures, and not brush aside safety factors as some heartless absurdity of life in a big city.

The UAE government has taken a few commendable steps with the Child Protection Law introduced in June 2016. Municipalities have tightened controls, yet a stricter Building Code law will be welcomed to plug gaps in building designs. A fresh look is needed to make our buildings and environments children-friendly. Annual inspections would be really helpful, at least for the first few years. Life can be challenging, and precarious. Although most parents fret about their children tumbling from beds, or running into chairs and other furniture at home, windows are often not thought of as dangers. It is time we educate ourselves and take appropriate actions to save our children.