As part of Sharjah’s participation in the fifth Unified GCC Inmates Week, Sharjah Women Sports Foundation (SWSF) and Sharjah Police recently organised an open sports day titled ‘Together to Achieve Reform’, for female inmates at the Punitive and Correctional Establishment.
High officials and dignitaries were in attendance, including, HE Nada Al Naqbi, Director General of SWSF, Colonel Ahmed Suhail, Deputy Director of the Punitive and Correctional Establishment at Sharjah Police, Lieutenant Colonel Mona Suroor, Director of Women’s Section at the Punitive and Correctional Establishment, Colonel Mohammed Al Obed, Captain Zaid Al Dhohouri, along with several police officers.
The event engaged female inmates in an array of sporting activities like volleyball and table tennis, in which they were seen competing female athletes from Sharjah Sports Club, whose enthusiasm and positive engagement with the inmates was warmly welcomed and much appreciated by them.
“Women form the basis of any society, and that is why reforming and rehabilitating the females in this facility is of utmost importance. Activities like this open sports day we organised, will instil self-confidence and self-worth in these women, preparing them fully to be able to reintegrate themselves as active members of society after the completion of their terms. These women are as much a part of our society as we are, and deserve the same amount of respect, attention and care, in resolving their problems,” said Nada Al Naqbi.
Underlining the need to strongly support both governmental and community efforts to reshape inmates’ personalities and instil human values in them, she added: “Towards the attainment of this goal, we organised this open sports day to bring joy to the hearts of these women.”
Lieutenant Colonel Mona Suroor said, “In line with the directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Punitive and Correctional Establishment enjoys special status and attention. As a result, we were able to adopt an integrated strategy, which through specialised methods of treatment such as classification and other techniques aim to encourage reform women inmates to into leading righteous and fulfilling lives.”
Lieutenant Colonel Mona Suroor extended her gratitude to all government bodies and private organisations for their contribution to making the fifth Unified GCC Inmates Week a success. She thanked SWSF for organising the sports day, which was thoroughly enjoyed and admired by its participants.
The Sharjah Women Sports Foundation was established in November 2016 under an Emiri decree by of His Highness Sheikh Al Qasimi, whose wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi’s generous patronage they enjoy.
The foundation strives to serve the sports sector in the Arab region by advancing women's sports in the UAE, Sharjah in particular, as well as highlight the role and achievements of Emirati sportswomen at international forums.
SWSF also aims to encourage Emirati female athletes to participate in regional and international sporting competitions, in addition to establishing a modern and integrated system to develop women's sports in the emirate in accordance with the best international practices.