Social Awareness Programs and the Role of Media Institutions in Promoting a Culture of Anti-Begging in Emirati Society
Keywords:
Social Awareness, Media Institutions, Community Culture, Combating Begging, Media Policies, Community Security, Awareness Programs, Digital Media, Traditional Media, Media Campaigns, Community Participation, Social Behaviors, Media Guidance, Social Change, Negative PhenomenaAbstract
The problem addressed in this study lies in the fact that the media efforts exerted have not achieved the desired impact in changing societal behaviors toward the phenomenon of begging, despite the diversity and abundance of awareness programs. Many individuals still interact with beggars emotionally, indicating a shortcoming in delivering media messages in a realistic and influential manner. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of media institutions in addressing the phenomenon of begging through community awareness programs and to propose practical suggestions to enhance the impact of these programs. It also seeks to assess the level of influence that different media channels—both traditional and digital—have on individuals’ perceptions and attitudes regarding this social issue. The importance of this study lies in its focus on media as a strategic tool with a direct impact on shaping societal awareness, making it a valuable contributor to the redirection of media policies and the reinforcement of media use in areas of community prevention, especially regarding negative phenomena that threaten the fabric and security of society, such as begging. The study adopts an inductive methodology that enables the collection and analysis of real-world data to measure the media’s impact on behaviors related to begging. Both quantitative and qualitative tools are employed, most notably structured questionnaires and open-ended interviews targeting various segments of society to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of media campaigns. The results revealed that media campaigns, whether through television and radio or social media platforms, had a clearly positive impact in raising community awareness about the risks of begging. The findings also showed that coordinated efforts between media and community institutions enhanced the credibility of the messages and contributed to actual changes in attitudes and behaviors toward beggars.
