Dr. Hashim's JofHappiness: 2nd UIM International Convention on Wisdom

Y.M Ungku Nur Faezah of the Attorney General's Office officiating the Opening

1. Introduction. The 2nd International Convention on Wisdom - Unifying the World with the focus on Childrens' Rights, organised jointly by Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM) with its knowledge partners - Microsoft, Global Movement of Moderates and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM)- was held on January 12, 2016 at Level 7 Auditorium of the University. It was participated by an estimated 200 representing the international community from Islamic countries, the government departments, the universities and NGOs and the academic staff and students of the University. It was officially declared open by Y.M Ungku Nur Faezah, who represented the Attorney General. In her speech she indicated there were adequate laws at Federal level to the rights of children with respect to rights to education and health. Enactments at State levels under the Islamic and family laws provide code of ethics to protect the family and the children particularly on the abuses perpetrated on them. Cases of these abuses were quoted where the guilty were punished with imprisonment. Also under these enactments children have a right to health, express themselves, protection in time of war, to play, to education, to grow up, and the protection from digital abuses.

2. Highlights of the Papers Presented.

2.1 Rights of Children in Sweden. The star speaker at the Conference was Kristofer Stahre who was the defense counsel for the Malaysian couple who was then serving in Sweden, for violation of their three children integrity by caning them. The violation was brought about by the couple's children themselves to their teacher who subsequently reported the matter to the police. The couple was subsequently found guilty and had to serve a jail term. The case has received considerable interest at home as the sentence was regarded heavy by Malaysian standard. According to Stahre, a child by law in Sweden, is looked as an independent person and violation of the children integrity is a serious crime where those found guilty can be imprisoned for a period from 6 to 9 months.

2.2 Rights of Children to Grow Up. Prof. Kevin Browne, Director at the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, England, cited the many studies undertaken comparing children raised under Family-based Care as opposed to under institutional care like welfare homes. Children raised under institutions, where usually there are little time for social interactions, are found to possess less brain activity, are shorter in height and lighter in weight and generally disturbed that consequently lead to delinquency problems. According to Prof Browne, a child raised in a family, as stipulated in the attachment theory, has one to one relationship and is exposed to community experiences grows up to feel more secure. The reasons why children end up in institutions are they are either orphans, abandoned, abused or disabled. Prof. Browne ended his talk by appealing to members of the community to come forward to adopt these children or provide family support.

2.3 Protection of Children from Western Perspective. Two papers were presented in this session. Prof. Chris Goddard from Monash University, Australia discussed on the silencing of children through deaths caused by neglect, abuse or ignorance. The second speaker, Ms Jasmin Begum, Director at Microsoft Malaysia, spoke of Protecting children in Digital Area where she mentioned on the online sexual exploitation and hacking targeted at children. Her company establishes a special project to examine ways of protecting children against these.

2.4 Special Ministerial Talk. Y.B Dato' Sri Rohani Abdul Karim, Minister of Women, Family & Community Development devoted her attention to Children's Rights, which is one of the eight important areas undertaken by her Ministry. Children make up 33 percent of the country's population and existing laws provide them the right to survival, health, education, online protection and at the same time uphold their needs and interests. Malaysia is a signatory to the UN Convention on Rights of Children (CRC) and currently, officials in her Ministry are scrutinizing laws and to make the necessary amendments such as abolishing whipping, family-based care, more deterrent punishment for abuses so that they are in consonance with CRC. She indicated that the Ministry has provided an online communication with the public, Talian Kasih, where reports on abuse and neglect, poverty, disabilities, domestic violence could be made. This communication channel could also be used to receive counselling and/or seek for financial assistance under the welfare scheme.