The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Sohaila Ahmed, Staff Reporter

The Sharjah Police General Directorate has launched an awareness campaign that will continue throughout the holy month of Ramadan under the slogan “Fight beggars and help those who deserve it”, in order to reduce the begging phenomenon that appears at the beginning of Ramadan.

The campaign targets all the markets, malls and places where beggars are expected to be in all parts of the Emirate. Pamphlets that include the objectives of the campaign will be distributed in several languages “Arabic, English and Urdu”, in the places where begging is widespread, such as residential areas, mosques, and markets, where which beggars use this holy month to get the sympathy of people and hustle for money.

Moreover, begging is associated with many dangers that threaten the safety and security of the society, as well as the life and properties of its members, and distort the country’s image. Other dangers of begging include theft, criminal trespass and sexual harassment, incitement to debauchery. Children can also be used as beggars, as well as ill persons and people of determination, in order to trick and exploit citizens into giving away money.

The Sharjah Police General Directorate calls upon members of the community not to fall victim to beggars, and not respond to their begging, or show any feelings of pity and compassion for their appearance. Members of the society are asked to help the police by immediately reporting any beggar who is seen in front of a mosque, neighborhood, or any place where the crime of begging is being committed, on the toll-free number (901) or (80040) of the Sharjah Police Operations Room.

The Sharjah Police also call upon community members to work with the security services on reducing the phenomenon of begging by donating money to charities to ensure that it would reach the needy and the poor, and fight the practice of beggars to use innocent children, steal or commit crimes under the cover of begging.