Lebanon's GardeRêve Nursery Abuse: Minister of Health Announces Closure and Strict Measures

2023-07-11 14:56:00

From the shocking video in the children’s nursery in Lebanon

Dubai – Al Arabiya.net

Posted on: July 11, 2023: 06:56 PM GST Last updated: July 11, 2023: 07:41 PM GST

After the horrific video of the abuse of young children in a nursery, the Lebanese Minister of Health in the caretaker government, Dr. Firas Al-Abyad, announced the withdrawal of the GardeRêve nursery license in Jdeideh and its final closure, and the application of a zero-tolerance policy.

In a press conference held after the meeting, the Lebanese minister announced a set of new, strict measures, indicating that the shocking scenes of child abuse in one of the nurseries required quick action, indicating that the whole matter is now before the judiciary.

The meeting also decided to update decrees and laws related to the protection of children and juveniles, and to increase information about licensed nurseries, which are available on the website of the Ministry of Public Health, to enable parents to know more information about them.

It also decided the need to ensure that nurseries adhere to the applicable laws, starting with the presence of the required cameras, to obtaining the necessary certificates for nursery workers, and subjecting them to the required periodic evaluation and continuous training.

The Minister of Health also decided to intensify visits to the monitoring authorities, including unannounced visits, to ensure that nurseries adhere to the laws and not accept any justification for non-compliance with the difficult conditions.

A zero tolerance policy has also been adopted with any nursery that does not adhere to the required standards, as there will be no hesitation in taking the most severe punitive measures against it.

Al-Abyadh called on nurseries to obligate the participation of their employees in training courses organized by non-governmental organizations and civil associations to raise readiness and ensure that they are at the required level of childcare.

Wild scenes

This comes after terrifying and savage scenes spread through the communication sites of a nanny in the nursery who abuses children and strikes them without mercy. While this matter aroused the resentment and anger of public opinion, which demanded that the perpetrators be held accountable immediately and the nursery closed.

What necessitated urgent action from the Single Judge in Baabda, who oversees juvenile cases in Mount Lebanon, Joel Abu Haidar, as she issued a decision yesterday banning the nursery “from opening its doors, starting from the date the decision was issued, after the abuse of a number of children.”