UAE Media Council investigates Emirati girl's bullying during children's programme broadcast
11 year old was allegedly bullied during a live children's programme broadcast
Abu Dhabi: The UAE Media Council is investigating a bullying incident involving an 11-year-old Emirati girl during the filming of a children's programme.
In a statement on Sunday, the council emphasised that it would not permit the display of "any content that violates the media content standards outlined in the Media Regulation Law or the laws related to child protection in the country."
The council is in communication with the girl's family to gather more information about the incident and is conducting an investigation.
The girl, Mariam Al Sheihi was participating in a competition organised by a website.
The UAE Media Council has begun communicating with the child's family to learn more about the details of the incident, and is conducting an investigation with various parties involved to understand the circumstances of the incident and take necessary action.
Maryam’s case gained much public attention after her aunt shared her story on social media. Although she was comfortable during the initial stages of the programme, it was alleged that the questions directed towards her led to her being bullied.
“During the episode, Maryam was accused of cheating. My heart broke for her when she received a perfect score in drawing. Other mothers were brought in to comment on her work. She is just a child. Why are they all criticising poor Maryam? When she achieved that perfect score, they rushed to have every mother analyse and object to her drawing, yet where were they when their own kids won?” the aunt wrote.
“On top of that, a girl is screaming, ‘Don't sit next to me’. When asked by the broadcaster why, she simply responds, ‘I hate her’. Why is this behaviour coming from children? Why is there bullying against this girl?” she asked.
“They also criticise the Emirati dialect despite the programme being filmed in the country. Following this bullying, Maryam suffered severe health issues and was admitted to the ICU at Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah,” she claimed.
Thousands of social media users have expressed sympathy for the girl and called for all responsible parties to be accountable.