Federal Decree - Law No . 1
Issued on 30/7 / 2003
Corresponding to 30 Jumada al - Awwal 1424 H .
CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MOTHER AND CHILD
SUPREME COUNCIL
We , Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan , President of the United Arab Emirates State ,
Pursuant to the perusal of the Constitution ; and
Federal Law no . 1 of 1972 concerning the Jurisdiction of the Ministries and the
Powers of the Ministers and the amending laws thereof ; and
Federal Law no . 8 of 1980 Regulating Work Relations and the amending laws
thereof ; and
Federal Law no . 7 of 1999 concerning the promulgation of the Pension and Social
Security Law ; and
Federal Law no . 21 of 2001 on the Civil Service in the Federal Government , the
amending laws thereof , and its Implementing Regulation ; and
Acting upon the proposal of the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and the
approval of the Cabinet ,
Have promulgated the following Law :
Article 1
In the implementation of the provisions hereof , the following terms and
phrases shall have the meanings assigned for each of them unless the context
requires otherwise :
State : The United Arab Emirates State .
Office President : President of the office of the President of the State .
Women Union : General Women Union in the State .
Supreme Council : Mother and Child Supreme Council .
President of Supreme Council : Chairman of the Board of Directors of the
Supreme Council .
Board of Directors : Board of Directors of the Supreme Council .
Secretary General : Secretary General of the Supreme Council .
CHAPTER ONE
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MOTHER AND CHILD
SUPREME COUNCIL
Article 2
A council under the name “ Mother and Child Supreme Council ” shall be
established . It shall have a juridical personality , enjoy financial and
administrative independence , be represented by the President of the
Supreme Council and report directly to the President of the State .
Article 3
The headquarters of the Supreme Council shall be located in the city of Abu
Dhabi . It may establish branches or offices in the Emirates of the State by a
decision of the President of the Supreme Council in accordance with the
consent of the Board of Directors .
Article 4
The Supreme Council shall aim at enhancing the level of mother and child
care , attention and follow - up , offering support in all fields , namely the
educational , cultural , health , social , psychological and pedagogical fields ,
following up and evaluating the plans of development and promotion in view
of achieving the aspired welfare , and spread comprehensive cultures related
to mother and child .
CHAPTER TWO
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MOTHER AND CHILD SUPREME
COUNCIL
Article 5
The Supreme Council shall be managed by the President of the Supreme
Council . Such position may be occupied by the President of the General
Women Union . The President shall be appointed by a federal decree and
exercise all powers and jurisdictions provided for herein and in the regulations
of the Council . The Vice - Chairman shall assist and replace the President .
Article 6
The management of the Supreme Council shall be undertaken by a Board
of Directors presided by the President of the Supreme Council and comprising
as members :
1 – The Vice - Chairman .
2 – The Director of the General Women Union .
3 – The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs or a
representative thereof .
4 – The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Youth or a
representative thereof .
5 – An Assistant Undersecretary in the field of Islamic Affairs and
Endowments in the Ministry of Justice , Islamic Affairs and Endowments or a
representative thereof .
6 – The Secretary General of the Red Crescent organization or a
representative thereof .
7 – Seven representatives of the women associations in the State .
8 – A representative of every council or center for Mother and Child in
every State .
9 – Director of the Mother and Child Welfare Department in the Ministry of
Health or a representative thereof .
The President of the Council may invite experts and knowledgeable persons
in the field of mother and child to attend the sessions of the Supreme Council
, without having countable votes in deliberations .
The President of the Council shall select the secretary of the Supreme
Council from among the active members in the Supreme Council .
The members of the Board of Directors shall be appointed , and their
remunerations determined by a Cabinet decision upon the suggestion of the
President of the Supreme Council .
The membership tenure of the Board of Directors shall be of three years ,
renewable for similar terms .
Article 7
The Board of Directors shall be entitled to exercise the necessary powers
for the achievement of its objectives , and such in cooperation with the
competent parties . The Council shall undertake in particular the following :
1 – Set the general policy of the Council and oversee the execution thereof
in view of achieving its objectives in different fields related to the mother and
child , evaluate and follow up the implementation of such policy in order to
achieve the security and safety of the mother and child .
2 – Set comprehensive strategic and executive plans for the development of
the mother and child within the scope of the general development plan in the
State , supervise the execution thereof and follow up and assess the
implementation thereof .
3 – Take necessary measures for the consolidation and coordination of the
efforts exerted by the local councils and centers for mother and child welfare
in view of achieving their effective development .
4 – Prepare the regulation of the personnel of the Supreme Council , as
well as all administrative and regulatory regulations .
5 – Orient the professional entities and institutions toward the
establishment of projects for the mother and child welfare on the educational
, health , cultural and social levels , and suggest the execution of special
programs offered to mothers and children .
6 – Carry out and encourage studies and researches in the field of mother
and child care , establish an information center as a database on the mother
and child , publish adequate material for the mother and child care in the
health , psychological , cultural and educational fields , suggest adequate
cultural , educational and information programs for the awareness of the
public opinion vis - à - vis the mother and child care and settle the problems
thereof on scientific grounds .
7 – Encourage the artistic and literary production for children and mothers ,
whether carried out by the children themselves or produced for them .
8 – Suggest and execute training programs for the enhancement of the
performance of the workers in the field of mother and child in all public ,
private and voluntary entities and institutions for children .
9 – Hold symposiums and organize conferences on children and family .
10 – Prepare the organizational structure of the Supreme Council , and
determine the jurisdictions of the main and sub - administrations and units ,
describe and categorize the functions thereof .
11 – Form permanent and temporary committees deemed necessary by the
Board of Directors for the good workflow and the efficiency of the Supreme
Council’s activity , determine the jurisdictions of every committee and
designating the president thereof .
12 – Draft the annual budget and closing account of the Supreme Council .
13 – The participation by the Supreme Council with specialized parties to
represent the State in Arab and international conferences , symposiums and
meetings and in international organizations concerned with the mother and
child affairs .
14 – Decide on the acceptance of donations , grants , contributions and
wills , and all aids from moveable and immoveable properties , as long as
they are not bound to conditions contradicting the goals of the Supreme
Council .
15 – Appoint auditors and determine their remunerations .
Article 8
The Board of Directors may commission some of its powers to the
Chairman of the Board of Directors or one of the members thereof .
Article 9
The Board shall convene upon the convocation of the Chairman four times
per year at least . The President of the Supreme Council may convoke the
Board for meeting upon the request of the majority of the members thereof ,
or whenever need arises .
Article 10
The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be valid should they be
attended by the majority of the members of the Board , on condition of the
presence of the President or Vice - President of the Supreme Council among
them . The decisions of the Board of Directors shall be passed by the absolute
majority of the votes of the present members . In the event of equality of
votes , the side with whom the President voted shall prevail .
Article 11
The deliberations and decisions of the Board of Directors shall be kept in
minutes signed by the President or Vice - President of the Supreme Council .
The decisions of the said Council shall be issued by virtue of the signature of
the President of the Supreme Council .
Article 12
The Supreme Council shall have one or more vice - chairmen and a
secretary general assigned by virtue of a Federal Decree . The implementing
regulation of the present Decree - Law shall determine the jurisdictions of the
vice - chairman and secretary general .
CHAPTER THREE
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
Article 13
The Supreme Council shall have an independent budget annexed to the
General State’s Budget .
Article 14
The fiscal year of the Supreme Council shall commence on the first day of
January and end on the thirty first day of December of every year . The first
fiscal year of the Supreme Council shall commence on the date of the coming
into force of the present Decree - Law and end on the thirty first day of
December of the following year .
Article 15
The revenues of the Supreme Council shall be constituted of the following
resources :
1 – Annual credits allocated to the Supreme Council in the Government
Budget .
2 – Savings achieved in the Supreme Council’s budget for the previous
fiscal years .
3 – Contributions from public and private , federal and local entities and
institutions .
4 – The revenue of the moveable and immoveable properties .
5 – Grants , contributions , graces , wills and donations approved by the
Board and not contradicting with the objectives of the Supreme Council .
Article 16
By virtue of a decision from the President of the Supreme Council , it shall
be allowed to transfer from one clause to another in the same title of the
budget . Furthermore , by virtue of a decision from the Board of Directors
upon the proposal of the Chairman thereof , it shall be allowed to transfer
among the titles of the budgets whenever need arises . Such transfer shall be
mentioned in the closing account of the fiscal year .
Article 17
The Supreme Council shall dispose of its funds in view to achieve its goals ,
and shall undertake the provision of its needs through public and limited
tenders , practice , or direct agreement , and such within the limits of its
annual budget and in accordance with the financial regulation of the Supreme
Council . Furthermore , by virtue of a decision of the Board of Directors , the
investment of the achieved savings in the budget may be carried out in a
manner not contradicting the goals of the Supreme Council .
Article 18
The Supreme Council shall enjoy the following exemptions :
1 – Exemption from taxes and customs fees with regards to imported tools
on its own account , that are necessary for the practice of the activity thereof
. Such tools may not be disposed of by another party not enjoying exemption
from taxes and customs fees before the passing of one year from the date of
importation thereof , unless the due taxes and fees are settled .
2 – Exemption from any other taxes or fees related to the activities thereof
.
Article 19
The Supreme Council personnel affairs regulation shall determine the ranks
and benefits paid to all employees thereof .
Article 20
The funds of the Supreme Council shall be deemed public , and shall be
exempt from the prior control by the Audit Department .
CHAPTER FOUR
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 21
With regards to the provisions mentioned neither herein nor in the Supreme
Council’s personnel affairs regulations provided for in Article 19 herein , the
personnel of the Supreme Council shall be subject to the Civil Service Law in
force in the Federal Government .
Employed citizens working in the Supreme Council shall be subject to the
abovementioned Pension and Social Security Law .
Article 22
The implementing regulation of the present Decree - Law and the
regulations organizing the work in the Supreme Council shall be issued by
virtue of a decision from the President of the Supreme Council in accordance
with the proposition of the Board of Directors .
Article 23
The President of the Supreme Council shall have the powers and
jurisdictions entrusted to the Board of Directors until the formation of the
Supreme Council set forth in Article 6 herein . The office president shall be
notified of the decisions issued by the President of the Supreme Council in
this regard .
Article 24
The Board of Directors shall file an annual report on the activities and
achievements of the Supreme Council to the office president for presentation
to the President of the State along with the recommendations and proposals
he deems fit .
Article 25
Every provision conflicting or contradicting with the provisions hereof shall
be cancelled .
Article 26
This Decree - Law shall be published in the Official Gazette , and shall come
into force as of the date of its publication .
Presidential
Promulgated by Us at the
Palace in Abu Dhabi
.
On 30 Jumada al - Awwal 1424 H
Corresponding to 30 July 2003
Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
State
This Federal Law has been published in the Official Gazette , issue no . 401 , p .
11 .