Dubai: A special phone call between a UAE minister and a young Emirati woman left netizens gushing with emotions, after a video clip airing the conversation went viral on social media platforms in the UAE.
Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, personally called Maitha Mohammed, a content maker at the New Media Academy, to offer his support and praise in her role for raising public awareness on social media.
The phone call was also broadcast across the Ministry of Interior’s social media platforms.
During the phone call, Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif praised Maitha’s role and her use of social media to support the society and confront crimes.
“When I received the call, I felt that I was on the right path, and that I began to reap the fruits of my effort,” said Maitha said.
She also explained the importance of Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif’s call, which showed his unlimited support to the leaders of tomorrow, and highlighted the importance of community efforts that have a positive effect on society.
The Minister of Interior was referring to Maitha’s recent video clip, which was published on May 8 and titled ‘My Story with a Victim of Harassment’. In her vlog, Maitha described how she helped a 13-year-old girl who was a victim of online harassment. The harasser was a 24-year-old man.
Maitha educated the victim about her rights and advised her to use the Ministry of Interior app Hemayati, and urged her to report the incident to police, as well as the Child Protection Centre. She also encouraged others who might find themselves in a similar situation to never give in to blackmailers, as it is important to display courage and to never let fear get the best of them.
The video was viewed over 87,000 times.
What is the Hemayati app?
The word Hemayati means ‘Protect me’, allows children to send alerts to their parents when they are in danger. The free smartphone app also helps parents track their children's movements.
The UAE Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that reported cases include suspected child abuse, people seeking consultation about child protection, in addition to enquiries about the services provided by the Child Protection Centre.
The mobile app, which is available on Apple Store and Google Play, was designed by the MoI to help families provide protection for children.
How does the app work?
Data from users’ Emirates Identity Cards is used for registration. The identity of the person activating the application is confirmed, and allows the application to be activated only by parents. A PIN code will then be sent via SMS to the registered mobile phone to complete the registration process. The wife and children can register online through the main application menu.
The system grants the husband and wife the option to hide their whereabouts.
The service is limited to families with children. This is verified through the ID card data upon registration, as the application is meant to enhance the protection of children and not to help impose control over them.
How to register
To use the application, residents must register in the Hemayati app. To do so, one must enter the ID number. Then, the person will receive a SMS with a PIN code generated by the system. Entering the PIN code allows verification of the phone owner’s identity. After that, the registration is completed through the application itself.
You can send an invitation message to add your spouse to your account. To do so, you should enter their ID Number and e-mail address. The spouse will then receive an e-mail, containing a link with the terms of use and conditions, which they should accept in order to complete the registration process.
To add a new member to a group, enter the persons’ ID Number, and then press ‘Add Location’. To add a location, you may press the ‘+’ sign, and enter the location name. You may also navigate the map to find the location. Use ‘Current Location’ to find your location on the map. Finally, press ‘Add Location’.
