First Lady Michelle Obama and Deputy Secretary Higginbottom Honor 10 Women of Courage Dr. Maha Al Muneef is the executive director of the National Family Safety Program (NFSP), which she founded in 2005 to combat domestic violence and child abuse in Saudi Arabia. A specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, Dr. Al Muneef has worked relentlessly to spread awareness about domestic violence and victims of child abuse. As the first organization in Saudi Arabia to address these issues, the NFSP has developed advocacy programs, reported on domestic violence and child abuse statistics in Saudi Arabia, and led efforts to provide services for victims of abuse. From 2009-2013, Dr. Al Muneef served as an advisor to Saudi Arabia’s Consultative Council, the Shura Council. In August 2013, after a multi-year effort, the Council of Ministers adopted landmark legislation to protect victims of domestic violence. As a courageous promoter of this issue, Dr. Al Muneef and the NFSP played an instrumental role in drafting and advising on the “Protection from Abuse” law, which defines and criminalizes domestic violence for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Maha is a graduate of King Saud University Medical School. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Alabama and ID fellowship at Yale.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 04:01:52 +0000