Latest news with #culturalpractices
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
The UAE can model a vision of social cohesion that includes its bond with the natural world
Community is not merely about human connections – it is about the intricate web of relationships that sustain us all. During the UAE's 2025 Year of Community, we celebrate a fundamental truth: that our strongest communities are those that recognise their dependence on, and responsibility to, the natural world. Our national identity, cultural practices and social bonds have all been shaped by our relationship with the land and sea that surround us. To speak of community in the UAE is to speak of nature itself. For generations, Emiratis have understood that individual survival depends on collective effort, and collective effort depends on environmental stewardship. The desert taught us to share scarce water resources. The sea taught us to co-ordinate fishing expeditions and pearl diving. The mountains taught us to create pathways not just for ourselves, but for those who would follow. These environments did not just demand co-operation – they created it. This reciprocal relationship is embedded in our cultural practices. When Bedouin families gathered around their fires under star-filled skies, they shared not just warmth but stories that connected them to the land. When coastal villages established rotating fishing grounds, they were practising early forms of conservation that maintained ecological balance and community harmony. The traditional majlis – our communal gathering space – was often situated under the shade of ghaf trees, nature literally providing the foundation for social cohesion. Today's research confirms what our ancestors intuitively understood: that environmental and community health are inseparable. Studies show that neighbourhoods with accessible green spaces have stronger social ties, lower crime rates and better mental health outcomes. Communities that participate in habitat restoration report increased feelings of belonging and purpose. Conservation projects that engage local stakeholders deliver more sustainable outcomes for people and nature. As we face unprecedented global challenges such as climate change, habitat destruction and displacement, the connection between environmental and community resilience becomes even more vital As we celebrate the Year of Community, we recognise that environmental stewardship forms a natural and complementary dimension of this national focus. When we protect mangrove forests, we are not simply preserving carbon sinks, we are safeguarding cultural knowledge and traditions passed down through generations. When we restore desert ecosystems, we are not just saving endangered species, we are preserving the landscapes that have shaped our poetry, art and collective memory. These environmental actions strengthen the very communities we are celebrating this year. The UAE's conservation initiatives reflect this integrated understanding. Our protected areas preserve not just biodiversity but also landscapes that hold cultural significance for Emiratis. Our fishing regulations honour maritime traditions that have been part of our heritage for generations. Our species reintroduction programmes, such as for the Arabian oryx, restore not just ecological balance but also important symbols that connect our people to their shared identity. This holistic approach extends beyond our borders. Through the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, we support community-led conservation in more than 170 countries, recognising that when local people are empowered as environmental stewards, both nature and social cohesion flourish. These efforts acknowledge that biodiversity loss threatens not just ecosystems but the cultural practices, traditional knowledge and community bonds that depend on them. As we face unprecedented global challenges such as climate change, habitat destruction and displacement, the connection between environmental and community resilience becomes even more vital. When ecosystems collapse, communities fragment. When traditions tied to the land are lost, social fabrics fray. This is why environmental protection is not separate from community building, it is an essential component of it. Later this year, the UAE will host the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, bringing together conservationists, Indigenous peoples, scientists and policymakers from around the world. This gathering embodies our understanding that effective conservation requires diverse communities working in harmony, just as healthy ecosystems depend on biodiversity. By hosting this critical dialogue, we demonstrate that community values and environmental values are one and the same. Building truly resilient communities requires collective action across sectors. Businesses must recognise that their operations depend on and affect both natural and social capital. Educational institutions must teach ecological literacy as a foundation for civic engagement. Government initiatives can consider how community development and environmental awareness often support each other in meaningful ways. And individuals must understand that their daily choices affect both the natural systems that sustain us and the social bonds that give life meaning. In this Year of Community, the UAE has an opportunity to model a vision of social cohesion that extends beyond human relationships to encompass our enduring bond with the natural world. The same values that strengthen our communities – co-operation, foresight and generosity – are precisely those needed to address our environmental challenges. By nurturing both our human connections and our relationship with nature, we honour our heritage while securing a more sustainable and harmonious future. This is the deeper meaning of community, one that recognises humans not as separate from nature but as an integral part of it. By protecting the environments that have shaped us, we strengthen the very foundations upon which our communities are built. In doing so, we create a legacy of connection that will sustain generations to come.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Boy, three, starved to death and buried in garden by off-grid vegan parents was failed by authorities who feared being branded 'discriminatory'
Police and social workers' fear of being seen as discriminatory may have contributed to the death of a starved toddler who was buried in a garden, a review has suggested. Abiyah Yasharahyalah, aged three, died in early 2020 from a respiratory illness, worsened by a 'restricted' vegan diet which caused severe malnourishment. A review into his parents' contact with authorities found there was a lack of curiosity about how their culture and lifestyle might have impacted on his wellbeing, warning that 'the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount'. Tai and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah were jailed for a total of 44 years in December after being convicted of multiple charges including causing or allowing Abiyah's death and child cruelty by failing to provide adequate nourishment or summon medical care. The couple, both degree-educated, were obsessed with 'clean living' but lived in squalor after turning their back on society. Jurors heard they survived on only fruit, nuts and seeds having established a 'kingdom' in which they lived under their own religion and laws. The review said the case demonstrated the need for 'professionals' involved in safeguarding work such as police, health and social workers to 'be confident to ask questions about different cultures and belief systems without fear of being perceived as discriminatory'. It warned: 'Whilst professionals should have a good understanding of the communities they serve, if any family engages in cultural practices which are harmful to children, this must not be overlooked, and the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount.' The report by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership, published yesterday, said Abiyah became 'invisible and lost from professional view' following a lack of 'exploration or curiosity' by health visitors. The Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 likely contributed to the 'lack of follow-through activity', it added. Abiyah's birth in 2016 was registered, but he was not seen by medics or professionals after 2018 and his death in January 2020 went unnoticed. Officials only discovered the boy had died almost three years later, after police were asked to conduct a welfare check on the couple. By the time the couple were arrested in December 2022, Abiyah had been dead two years. The pair had been living off-grid in a squalid caravan in Somerset with another young child when a social worker came across a social media video posted by Tai in 2016 in which he referred to a child called Abiyah. Tai, 42, went on to admit that Abiyah was 'dead in a physical sense' but claimed he had been reincarnated. Those words led to the couple's arrests and soon after, Abiyah's body was exhumed at the couple's former address in Birmingham. Abiyah was found to have had severe malnutrition, rickets, anaemia and stunted growth thanks to his limited diet, as well as five fractures that would have caused terrible pain. The Yasharahyalahs' trial at Coventry Crown Court heard that while no cause of death was formally established, experts in court said starvation was probably to blame. Police visited the Handsworth property three times, including in February 2018 when Abiyah was alive. The review stated that with regard to this visit 'no details were recorded' about Abiyah, with his presence 'almost invisible on review of records'. Both the mother and father were said to be members of Royal Ahayah's Witness, described as an 'obscure religious movement based on the belief that mainstream Christianity is designed to subjugate the Black Community..' The review said their hostility towards those in authority caused the focus of professionals to be 'diverted or distracted' from the children's welfare while the couple's numerous name changes and aliases made it more difficult for agencies to track and share information effectively. It noted that Abiyah 'was only ever seen by a small number of professionals during his lifetime, and for a limited time only'. In March 2020, health visitor records said it had been noted at a safeguarding meeting that Abiyah had not been seen by them since his six-week assessment. Authorities showed a 'general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents' belief systems', leading to an 'insufficient understanding about the impact' on his care, the review said. It added that his parents' behaviour 'often distracted or diverted professional attention' away from his safety and welfare. As part of the review, the views of both parents were sought. Tai refused to be interviewed but Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah, 43, agreed telling the review it was now 'hard to accept that my approach did not lead to the best outcomes for my child and that it took the court process to take me out of that bubble'. She said at the time, she did not think Abiyah needed help with any illness. An NSPCC spokesman said the review 'brings into sharp focus why it is crucial that professionals demonstrate curiosity and scrutiny.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Boy starved to death in Birmingham ‘was invisible to child services'
A toddler who was starved by his parents and buried in their garden was 'invisible and lost' to child services, a review has said. Three-year-old Abiyah Yasharahyalah, who lived with his parents in Birmingham, died in early 2020 from a respiratory illness. He was severely malnourished when he died and suffered from anaemia, rickets and stunted growth which, as well as the illness, were exacerbated by the 'restricted' vegan diet he was given at home. A local child safeguarding practice review, published on Wednesday, into Abiyah's death found that a lack of questions asked about how the family's lifestyle and culture could have had an effect on his health, stating 'the safeguarding of children being affected by harmful cultural practice is paramount'. The review also found that while the family were subject to visits, they were sporadic and short, noting that Abiyah 'was only ever seen by a small number of professionals during his lifetime, and for a limited time only'. At the parents' trial at Coventry crown court in December last year, the court was told that following Abiyah's death, his mother and father, Tai and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah aged 42 and 43, performed an 'eight-day ritual' in the hopes that their son would 'come back' to life, before burying his body in the garden of their home in Handsworth in the centre of the city. The court also heard that police had visited the families residence three times, including in February 2018 when Abiyah was still alive, but that 'no details were recorded' about Abiyah, with his presence 'almost invisible on review of records'. The home was also visited by social workers on at least five occasions, but these visits were described as 'very limited, reinforcing that there was very little insight into (Abiyah's) existence, health or welfare'. The review found that authorities coming into contact with the child's family showed a 'general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents' belief systems', leading to an 'insufficient understanding about the impact on his care.'. It added that his parents' behaviour 'often distracted or diverted professional attention' away from Abiyah's safety and welfare and that 'parental resistance of advice, support or authority ultimately resulted in (Abiyah) becoming invisible and lost from professional view.' Annie Hudson, chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, said that the report strongly evidenced 'the paramount importance of understanding what life is like for children, and not being distracted or diverted away by parental behaviour when considering children's safety and welfare. 'It is important to respect parents' faith and beliefs,' she added. 'However, as this review highlights, professionals must always be mindful of whether their views about parents, including their faith, race and culture, is inhibiting their capacity to be questioning and act together in a timely way to safeguard and protect children.' Tai, a medical genetics graduate and Naiyami, a former shop worker, left the body buried in the garden when they were evicted from the house in 2022. The couple adopted their own belief and legal system dubbed 'slick law' which incorporated elements of Igbo culture. They were described as shunning society, putting a sign on the door of their home which warned 'all governmental and non-governmental bodies' not to ring the doorbell or make 'any contact with any member of this house'. Tai and Naiyami, who were arrested in December 2022 whilst living in shipping container in Somerset, were sentenced to 24 years and 6 months and 19 years and 6 months for multiple charges including child cruelty, causing or allowing the death of a child, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Boy, 3, starved by vegans was failed by officials ‘afraid of being branded racist'
London-born Tai, a medical genetics graduate who also used the first name Tai-Zamarai, and former shop worker Naiyahmi shunned mainstream society and left Abiyah's body buried at their property in Handsworth, Birmingham, when they were evicted in March 2022. A two-month trial at Coventry Crown Court heard the couple had 'invented' a belief system featuring aspects of Igbo culture that Tai, who grew up in both Nigeria and Peckham in south-east London, adapted to form a legal system he called 'slick law'. The court heard that they lived off the generosity of others, occupying at one point a shipping container and a caravan in the Somerset area. A review into his family's contact with authorities has found there was a lack of curiosity about how his parents' culture and lifestyle might have affected his wellbeing, warning that 'the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount'. The review, published by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP) suggested that a culture of fear of being branded racist and discriminatory had contributed to the failure. It warned that while navigating race, ethnicity, culture and beliefs 'can be challenging' for those working in child safeguarding, there is a need for them to be 'confident to ask questions about different cultures and belief systems without fear of being perceived as discriminatory'. Kevin Ball, the report author, added: 'If any family engages in cultural practices which are harmful to children, this must not be overlooked, and the safeguarding of children being impacted by harmful cultural practice is paramount.' The review, published on Wednesday, noted that Abiyah 'was only ever seen by a small number of professionals during his lifetime, and for a limited time only'. According to records, he was seen by a health visitor in April 2016 shortly after his birth, and the following month for a check-up. There was some contact with a local authority social worker in London in 2018 and four visits to a children's centre in Birmingham, but the review said: 'Records of these contacts and interactions are very limited, reinforcing that there was very little insight into [Abiyah's] existence, health or welfare.' Police visited their home in Handsworth in February 2018 but the review stated that no details were recorded about Abiyah, with his presence 'almost invisible on a review of records'. 'No curiosity' from health visitors Elsewhere, the review noted 'no exploration or curiosity' from the health visiting service, run by Birmingham Community Health Care NHS Foundation Trust, about Abiyah's mother's desire for a home birth with no medical intervention. At a safeguarding meeting in March 2020, health visitor records noted that Abiyah had not been seen by them since his six-week assessment, with appointments at the one and two-year marks since his birth not attended. He had also not received any routine immunisations. While a follow-up inquiry was planned it failed to materialise and the review stated that may have been caused by the Covid lockdown which began that year. The various authorities coming into contact with the child's family showed a 'general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents' belief systems', leading to an 'insufficient understanding about the impact on his care', the review said. It also said his parents' behaviour 'often distracted or diverted professional attention' away from his safety and welfare. The review stated: 'Parental resistance of advice, support or authority ultimately resulted in [Abiyah] becoming invisible and lost from professional view.' The report included reflections that while social workers had been aware of the family's culture and parents' beliefs and lifestyle, they appeared not to have considered 'with detailed curiosity' the impact on Abiyah's safety and wellbeing, 'such as if indeed his overall needs were being met'. Abiyah's mother opted to take part in the review, stating she believed she was 'doing the right thing at the time' for her son based on her cultural beliefs but that she now wished she had done more research about diet and healthcare. She said it was 'hard to accept that my approach did not lead to the best outcomes for my child and that it took the court process to take me out of that bubble'. Among its recommendations, the review said workforce guidance should be looked at to ensure it 'supports effective assessment and intervention which safeguards those children that become hidden from professional sight and/or when parents choose to live an alternative, or more off-grid lifestyle'. Case raises 'very serious questions' Annie Hudson, chairman of the child safeguarding practice review panel, said the case raised 'very serious questions' about local and national safeguarding systems. She added: 'The local child safeguarding review published today highlights important learning, including about how Abiyah became invisible and lost from the view and oversight of professionals. It evidences strongly the paramount importance of understanding what life is like for children, and not being distracted or diverted away by parental behaviour when considering children's safety and welfare. 'It is important to respect parents' faith and beliefs. However, as this review highlights, professionals must always be mindful of whether their views about parents, including their faith, race and culture, is inhibiting their capacity to be questioning and act together in a timely way to safeguard and protect children.' James Thomas and Sue Harrison, co-chairmen of the BSCP said: 'Protecting children out of professional sight is a real challenge, given the limits of statutory powers to ensure all children are regularly seen. Our partnership has made this one of our top strategic priorities to ensure that we do everything we possibly can to identify risk to those children who are out of sight.' Abiyah's parents were arrested in Somerset on Dec 9, 2022, leading to the discovery of their son's body five days later. Tai was sentenced to 24 years and six months and his wife was ordered to serve 19 years and six months in prison after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice, causing or allowing the death of a child, and child neglect.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Archaeologists baffled to find strange 800-year-old mummy with face tattoos
Archaeologists have found never-before-seen tattoos on the cheeks and arms of an 800-year-old Andean mummy, shedding more light on ancient cultural practices in South America. Humans have adopted body modification methods throughout history to conform to prevalent beauty standards, social status and group affiliation, and even for ritual reasons. Among such body modifications, tattooing still exists as a widely practised cultural practice. However, there are very few surviving examples of tattooed skin in archaeological records due to the soft nature of skin. An analysis of existing records of preserved skin with evidence of tattoos suggests that South American coastal deserts have the most preserved tattooed human remains in the world. So, scientists closely assessed a well-preserved female mummy held at the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin that had been excavated from a site in the Andes mountains. Radiocarbon analysis revealed that the mummy was over 800 years old. She lived sometime between 1215 and 1382CE. Researchers used two new infrared analysis techniques to look for any tattoos not visible to the naked eye. They were surprised to find tattoos on both cheeks of the mummy's face, including three straight running lines from the ear to the mouth. They also found a wrist tattoo in the shape of an S. Using chemical analysis techniques like x-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, they determined the tattoos were made using pigments developed from the iron mineral magnetite and another called pyroxenes. The analysis revealed a surprising absence of charcoal, the most commonly used tattoo material reported in literature. 'The results show both rare shapes and anatomical location – lines on cheeks and S-like mark on wrist – and unusual ink composition,' they wrote in the study. The simple tattoos have proved difficult to interpret and identify with any specific culture, however. South American tattoos are typically more complex drawings on hands, wrists, forearms, and feet. Cheek tattoos are rarer. In fact, no other ancient tattoo found in the region so far is comparable to the 'S' motif on the mummy's arm. Given the location of the tattoos on body parts not usually covered by clothing, researchers suspect they may have had a 'decorative or communicative purpose'. However, they add that 'at the moment, it is not possible to attribute either a sort of medical or therapeutic purpose or a cultural provenance' to them. 'To conclude, the research actively contributes in the study of ancient tattoo practice, in particular in South America about eight centuries ago, and highlights the role of museum collections in the analysis of ancient cultures,' researchers noted.
