The deeply sad and shocking news of another child falling to her death from a high-rise, this time in Ajman, refocuses attention on this alarming issue forcing the question to be asked again: why do such accidents continue to occur?
Over the years, several instances of children falling to death from high-rises have been reported, with lack of supervision being the common cause behind the tragedies. The latest incident occurred when the girl, a ten-year-old, was left at home as she did not wish to accompany her parents shopping because she was fasting.
The issue of child-proofing a home, with particular attention being paid to challenges in high-rise apartment such as access to windows, balconies and other child-risk areas, has dominated the discussion on parental responsibility year after year in the UAE.
The authorities have spared no effort in launching awareness campaigns and educating parents on the many measures they can take in making every area in the house a secure place for children.
The hard fact is that within the confines of a home, it is parents, and parents alone, who can ensure their child comes to no harm. It is among their fundamental responsibilities as care-givers and nurturers and the slightest degree of laxity or a lack of awareness or a single lapse can lead them to pay an unbearably high price, as the many tragic accidents of children falling to their death have shown over the years.
Let us hope that this tragedy would serve as a reminder to other parents to reexamine their attitude towards their children’s safety and do the needful and as a result, render such advisories unnecessary.
