Bahrain takes part in GCC talks on children’s welfare

Agencies | Abudhabi      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain, represented by the Ministry of Social Development and the National Commission for Childhood, participated in the GCC Dialogue on Children Welfare.

The dialogue was organised in cooperation with the GCC General Secretariat, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

It aimed at highlighting the importance of child protection systems, supporting workers in social affairs, and strengthening cooperation. Hana Mohammad Nasser, Director of Centers & Family & Childhood Development Director at the Social Development Ministry, said that the forum was an opportunity to exchange expertise, information and best practices in the field of child protection.

She noted that Bahrain’s participation affirms its keenness to provide a sustainable and safe environment for children, pointing out the importance of these dialogue sessions to achieving further progress in indicators of child protection systems in the GCC states.

The dialogue discussed best practices on child protection in the GCC states and reviewed Bahrain’s efforts in implementing laws and legislation on children’s rights aimed at guaranteeing children’s rights; the restorative justice law for children and their protection from maltreatment, and the law on protection from domestic violence.

It also touched on the National Strategy for Childhood and its objectives towards providing legislative protection for childhood in various fields, in coordination with all concerned parties in the governmental and private sectors and civil society institutions.

The best practices implemented by the Kingdom aimed at promoting children’s rights were also reviewed, including the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the establishment of the Child Protection Centre, the Comprehensive Handicapped Complex and the Social Welfare Complex.

The dialogue included various sessions presented by specialists in the field of childhood from various relevant sectors. The sessions covered topics including child protection services and well-being, the child-friendly cities initiative, the role of policy frameworks in strengthening social workforces in child protection, protecting children in digital media, and the role of communication in enhancing child protection, protecting children from negative influences and preserving culture and values.