The Kingdom of Bahrain presides over the sixth high-level conference on child rights. Ministry of Social Development: Improving the conditions of childhood at various levels
03-06-2023
The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the National Committee for Childhood, chaired by His Excellency Mr. Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf Al-Asfoor, Minister of Social Development, chaired the work of the sixth high-level conference on child rights "An effective and sustainable development investment that guarantees the rights of the Arab child", which was held by the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, through visual communication technology, with the participation of ministers of social affairs and relevant regional and international organizations. This conference comes in implementation of the decision of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs in its (42nd) session, and the recommendation issued by the (26th) session of the Arab Childhood Committee headed by the Kingdom of Bahrain, where it discussed the most important challenges and issues facing children in the Arab region, in addition to highlighting the axes and goals of the development agenda for investment in childhood in the Arab world 2015-2030. National efforts to achieve sustainable development goals were also discussed. In her speech, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, Ms. Sahar Rashid Al-Mannai, reviewed the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain to improve the fields of childhood, which contributed positively to the development of the conditions of this category at the various legal, social, educational and cultural levels, in light of the wise directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the great King of the country, may God protect and preserve him, and a translation of the vision of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him, and with the concerted efforts of all official and unofficial bodies. She said that the Kingdom of Bahrain is considered one of the leading countries in codifying the rights of the child, through the issuance of many laws and legislations regulating the guarantee of children's rights, the most prominent of which is His Majesty the King's approval of Law No. (4) of 2021 regarding the issuance of the Correctional Justice Law for Children and their protection from abuse, in addition to allocating the Child Protection Center as a central authority that handles reports of any child being abused, physically and psychologically abused, neglected, and sexually abused. The Undersecretary also reviewed the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the health field, to provide high-quality health care and services, in accordance with the standards and recommendations of the World Health Organization, in addition to highlighting its efforts in the educational field, to ensure that all children, boys and girls, receive their right to free and advanced education, as well as the national efforts in preserving the basic rights of the child that children should enjoy anywhere and without discrimination. In this regard, she referred to the results achieved by those national efforts, through the Kingdom's ranking second in the Arab world in the Human Capital Index of the World Bank for the past year 2022, which focused on the health and education sectors, stressing that the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain pays great and exceptional attention to the file of childhood, as it is an integral part of the national constants, and it is determined to continue its busy path in promoting the protection of children's rights in all circumstances.