Abu Dhabi, February 10 (WAM) - The UAE continues to cement its global leadership in child protection and digital safety through an integrated system of laws, legislation, and national initiatives, coinciding with Safer Internet Day 2026 and the "Year of the Family" in the country.

The UAE's celebration of Safer Internet Day is a testament to its ongoing commitment to enhancing cooperation between government entities, private sector organizations, and educational institutions, while fostering a culture of digital safety and responsibility that supports the quality of life for children and families, and contributes to preparing a digital generation capable of actively contributing to national development.

These efforts embody the UAE's forward-looking vision, which places people and families at the forefront of its developmental priorities, and adopts a balanced approach that combines accelerating digital transformation and supporting innovation and advanced technology, particularly in artificial intelligence, with creating a safe digital environment that protects children and considers their developmental and cognitive needs.

The UAE government issued a federal law decree on the digital safety of children, which provides an integrated legislative framework aimed at protecting children from digital risks, encouraging the safe and responsible use of technology, and establishing clear guidelines that keep pace with rapid developments in the digital world while taking into account different age groups and respecting the privacy of growth stages within the country's vision to protect and enhance the quality of life for children.

Feisal Al Shamari, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Association for Child Protection, confirmed that World Safer Internet Day is an important milestone in promoting community awareness of the importance of protecting children in the digital space. He praised the proactive approach taken by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in this field.

He said that the UAE has succeeded in presenting a pioneering model that combines support for innovation and advanced technology, particularly artificial intelligence, with the establishment of an integrated system for child protection, which contributes to building a digitally aware generation capable of making positive use of modern technologies. This is in line with the country's vision of enhancing the quality of life for children and families.

The UAE places great importance on supporting and empowering young people with knowledge and modern technical tools, guiding them towards optimal technology usage in line with the country’s vision to build a cohesive and digitally secure society.

It also highlights the country's pioneering role in supporting innovation and advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, by employing these technologies to develop smart solutions that help identify digital risks, strengthen protection systems, and enhance security levels on digital platforms aimed at children and young people, keeping pace with best global practices.

It is worth mentioning that Safer Internet Day takes place on the second Tuesday of February every year, and aims to promote a safer and better internet for everyone, especially children, by raising awareness about online risks such as cyberbullying and fraud, and promoting responsible use of technology. It will be held this year on February 10 with a focus on “Smart Technology and Safe Choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI.”