Muscat – The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD)  has revealed that child protection committees across the sultanate dealt with 4,199 cases of child abuse in 2025, reflecting the scale of efforts to safeguard vulnerable groups and strengthen social protection systems.

According to the ministry, 117 children were placed in protection centres during the year, providing them with a safe and alternative environment. In addition, 2,072 abuse cases were reported through the Child Protection Hotline. Neglect accounted for the largest share of reported cases at 51.1%, followed by physical abuse (19.4%), psychological abuse (18.8%) and sexual abuse (10.7%).

The ministry noted that these figures highlight the importance of intensifying protection measures and strengthening community partnerships to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children.

In parallel, 2025 witnessed a notable expansion in early childhood services, with 32 new nurseries added across the sultanate, bringing the total number to 364 nurseries serving around 9,548 children. The development reflects growing institutional focus on early childhood care and child welfare.

The ministry also reported handling 26 cases of women subjected to forced marriage, eight cases involving abuse of women, and 39 human trafficking-related cases during the year, within an integrated framework that addresses legal, social and humanitarian dimensions.

With regard to juvenile cases, the ministry dealt with 604 juvenile delinquency cases referred by the Public Prosecution, in addition to 102 cases of juveniles at risk of delinquency, bringing the total number of monitored cases to 806.

In terms of shelter and rehabilitation services, the Juvenile Reform Centre received 73 juvenile offenders, while 13 juveniles at risk of delinquency were placed in the Juvenile Guidance Centre, as part of an integrated system aimed at behavioural correction and rehabilitation.

Post-care programmes also continued to support reintegration efforts, benefiting 70 individuals during the year. The ministry stressed that such programmes are a key pillar in ensuring sustained support, promoting social reintegration and reducing the likelihood of repeated negative behaviour.

Efforts to strengthen family stability also continued through counselling and guidance services. During 2025, the family counselling service hotline received 703 calls, while 3,129 individuals benefited from psychological and family counselling services.