Four female lawyers from the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal Professionals have brought legal awareness to more than 1,200 male and female students across seven public and private schools in Fujairah through the “Together Towards a Safe Year” initiative, which has now concluded after a year-long outreach effort. The campaign focused on cyber safety, the dangers of drugs, cyberbullying, and everyday behaviours that students may consider harmless but that can, in fact, place them on the wrong side of the law.
Closing ceremony honours partners and supporters
The initiative’s closing ceremony, held recently under the association’s patronage, honoured the Ministry of Education as the main partner, alongside participating schools and supporting entities, in recognition of their role in the programme’s success. The event was attended by a number of educational leaders and teaching staff.
The awareness programme was led by association board member and lawyer Khadija Suhail, the chair of the administrative body of the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal Professionals – Fujairah branch, lawyer Moza Masoud, the body’s secretary, lawyer Fatima Al Ali, and treasurer, lawyer Sabeeha Al Sreidi. Together, they delivered a series of lectures and interactive workshops built around dialogue and real-life examples to show students how certain actions can become punishable offences.
Focus on cyber safety and legal risks
The campaign concentrated on raising students’ awareness of the risks linked to sharing personal data, opening unknown links, and interacting with strangers through online games and social media platforms. It also addressed the dangers of drugs, cyberbullying and digital blackmail, while explaining the proper legal channels for reporting any behaviour that threatens their safety.
Speaking to Emarat Al Youm, association board member lawyer Khadija Suhail said her experience in the initiative showed that students respond strongly to legal awareness when it is presented in simple language and with examples close to their own lives. She said the sessions focused on building self-confidence, teaching students the correct ways to report concerns, and warning them about the seriousness of posting or sharing other people’s photos without permission, as such acts may carry legal liability.
Moza Masoud, chair of the administrative body of the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal Professionals – Fujairah branch, said the initiative was launched in response to the digital challenges students face and aimed to raise their awareness of the risks associated with the internet and social media. She stressed that prevention begins with early legal education before any violation occurs.
Students’ experiences shaped the discussions
Fatima Al Ali, secretary of the administrative body, said what stood out most during the initiative was the students’ willingness to share the situations they had encountered, which helped turn the lectures into realistic discussions about the risks they may face.
She added that one student described how, while playing an online game, he received a link from an unknown person. As soon as he opened it, an inappropriate video appeared, before the sender asked him to switch on his camera. He informed his father, who promptly disabled the chat function and protected him from being lured further.
She also said another student spoke about refusing to try an electronic cigarette after classmates offered one to him, noting that he told his father, who then contacted the club administration. Al Ali described this as a model of the right behaviour the initiative seeks to instil in students.
Al Ali said she also warned students against clicking on unknown links, even if they come from accounts belonging to people they know, because those accounts may have been hacked. She reminded them not to accept free gifts or meals from strangers, explaining that such methods can be used to lure children or promote drugs.
She added that many students believed re-sharing offensive clips, posting friends’ photos without permission, or sending other people’s phone numbers as a joke were ordinary actions, whereas she explained that they may amount to crimes punishable by law. The aim, she said, was to build legal awareness that protects students before they make a mistake.
Building a safer school environment
Treasure of the administrative body lawyer Sabeeha Al Sreidi said the initiative aimed to build legal awareness among students so they would not fall victim to blackmail, grooming or cybercrime. She added that cooperation between schools, families and the relevant authorities is the main pillar for protecting children and strengthening a safe school environment.
Meanwhile, Fatima Al Sharrah, executive director of the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal Professionals – Fujairah branch, said the campaign relied on interactive workshops and lectures on cyber security rules, the protection of personal accounts and methods for reporting cybercrime. It also covered the risks of drugs and cyberbullying, she said, adding that the strong engagement from students and schools helped the initiative reach more than 1,200 boys and girls.
At the end of the programme, the organising committee at the Ministry of Education, the schools, supporting entities and the participating lawyers were honoured for their efforts in making the initiative a success and for helping to reinforce the principles of prevention and legal awareness among more than 1,200 students in Fujairah schools.