Mansour bin Zayed Approves Family Charter to Protect Children's Interests

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, in his capacity as Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, has issued Resolution No. 43 of 2026 adopting the "Charter after Separation – Year of the Family", with the aim of regulating the relationship between parents when a dispute exists between them, strengthening the psychological and social stability of children, protecting their best interests as the primary criterion in all family decisions, and consolidating educational cooperation between the parents.

The charter entrenches the continuity of a safe family umbrella for children and ensures the continued role of both father and mother in their care, on the basis that ending the marital bond does not end the bond of parenthood, nor diminish children's need for shared care, safe communication and a stable environment that gives them a sense of security and belonging.

The charter represents an agreement based on understanding and mutual respect, aimed at keeping children away from any disagreement, shielding them from the effects of disputes, placing their interests above every consideration and preserving the dignity of both parties, while affirming that the parents' commitment to it is an extension of their moral and legal responsibility and a message to their children that their love for them is constant and unchanging, and that they will remain surrounded by shared care and a safe environment.

The charter obliges parents to cooperate in moral and religious upbringing, in following up on education, in health care, and in behavioural and educational guidance, with the custodian obliged to keep the other party informed of school reports, health status and school activities, in addition to cooperating and consulting on fundamental decisions such as education, medical treatment and travel.

The charter details the parents' obligations towards the children in their custody during the custody period, which include each of them faithfully fulfilling their parental role, providing health and educational care, preserving the child's physical and psychological safety, instilling values and virtues, and raising the children according to Emirati customs and traditions that deepen their sense of belonging and responsibility, while enabling the other party to exercise the right of visitation and communication and notifying them of any important matter concerning the child.

The charter sets out the parents' obligations towards each other: not to disparage the other party in front of the children, to preserve respect for and obedience to both parents, and to avoid mentioning the reasons for the disagreement or divorce in front of the children, while prohibiting the use of the children's legal rights, such as visitation and maintenance, as a means of pressure, bargaining or harm.

In its provisions on custody, maintenance, visitation and educational guardianship, the charter relies on the rules established in the federal Personal Status Law, and it regulates the frameworks for agreement between the two parties on the details of visitation, overnight stays, the children's travel and the agreed financial obligations.

As for the means of resolving disagreements arising in the application of the charter, the document obliges both parties to attempt to settle any dispute that arises between them amicably; where an amicable solution is not possible, the dispute is referred to the Family Guidance Centre to pursue reconciliation and bring viewpoints closer in an effort to end the dispute before resorting to the court.

The procedural mechanism for implementation provides that the family counsellor presents the charter to the parents after their separation for them to sign it in whole or in part and to commit to implementing its provisions.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)