The UAE Government has passed Federal Decree Law No. 12 of 2025, which is a big step forward for the country's system for protecting and caring for children. The new law is mostly about kids whose biological parents are not legally known or identified. It aims to make sure that these kids grow up in safe, stable, and dignified places. The UAE's decree is part of a larger effort to modernize and strengthen child protection laws. This builds on decades of work on the subject, including the current Child Rights Law, which was once called Wadeema's Law. These changes show that both the legal and social systems are putting more emphasis on protecting vulnerable children and putting their well-being first. A clear shift toward a child-centered approach is at the heart of the new law. The law makes it clear that the best interests of the child come first in all decisions about care, custody, and raising the child. Authorities, caregivers, and institutions will use this principle to decide where children without known parents will live, how they will get services, and how to plan for their future The establishment of an integrated care system is one of the most important parts of the decree. This framework will make sure that each child gets full and ongoing care by coordinating social, health, educational, and psychological support services. The system is not set up to meet each child's needs one at a time. Instead, it is meant to meet all of their physical, emotional, and developmental needs at once. The law also stresses how important it is to keep a child's identity and privacy safe. The law aims to help children of unknown parentage fit in with society in a positive way and grow up with dignity and self-confidence by protecting their personal information and lowering the risk of social stigma. This method recognizes the social problems these kids may have and tries to stop discrimination based on where they come from. Now, all important decisions that affect these kids must take into account their physical, emotional, and social needs. This means that everyone has the right to go to school, get medical care, and live in a safe home with their family. The law makes it clear that a child who doesn't have legally recognized parents should never have their rights, opportunities, or quality of life limited. Federal Decree Law No. 12 of 2025 builds on what Federal Law No. 3 of 2016, the Child Rights Law, already does to protect all children in the UAE. Wadeema'sLaw protects kids from neglect, abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. It also makes the state responsible for making sure kids are safe in homes, schools, and other places. Children whose parents are unknown often have to deal with complicated legal and social issues, such as problems with paperwork, unclear legal ties, and limited access to services. The new law directly addresses these problems by making sure that everyone, regardless of their parental status, can get the services and opportunities they need. It also makes sure that everyone in the country follows the same care protocols, which puts the child first and is something that authorities and caregivers must do. Another important goal of the reform is to bring people together. The law's goal is to help children whose parents are unknown grow up to be independent people with the same opportunities as other residents. It does this by promoting equal treatment and consistent support. Experts have praised the decree as a reasonable and caring addition to the UAE's child welfare strategy, which focuses on safety, education, health, and emotional growth from early childhood through adolescence. The new law fits in with a number of other efforts in the UAE to protect children's rights and safety. The Child Safety Forum in Sharjah is one of many forums where policymakers, practitioners, and experts can talk about the best ways to protect children and raise awareness about the issue. At the same time, changes to family and personal status laws have put children's well-being at the center of legal changes, especially in areas like custody, support, and identity. All of these steps show how serious the UAE is about making sure that every child is safe and included. Federal Decree Law No. 12 of 2025 strengthens the idea that all kids, no matter how they were born, have the right to care, protection, and the chance to do well in a society that supports them. Also Read:- Education Excellence Magazine For more information