The Kingdom of Bahrain participates in the "Gulf Arab Countries Dialogue on Child Welfare Policies" forum in Abu Dhabi

08-09-2023

The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the Ministry of Social Development and the National Committee for Childhood, participated in the “Dialogue of the Arab Gulf States on Child Welfare Policies” forum, in the presence of the Director of the Department of Centers and Family and Child Development at the Ministry, a member of the committee, Professor Hanaa Muhammad Nasser, and the participation of a number of officials and representatives of the Gulf states and regional and international organizations in The field of childhood, at the headquarters of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. The forum, which was organized in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), aims to highlight the importance of child protection systems and support workers in social affairs and to strengthen cooperation and coordination mechanisms in this field. On this occasion, the Director of the Department of Centers, Family Development and Childhood at the Ministry confirmed that the forum is an ideal opportunity For specialists in the fields of child protection to interact and exchange information, experiences and best practices learned in this field, for the category of children that represents the hope of the future for all countries, noting that the participation of the Kingdom of Bahrain is an embodiment of its commitment to ensuring the provision of a sustainable and safe environment for its children, and its keenness to build bridges of understanding and cooperation to refine strategies and policies through For the well-being of children, pointing out in this context the importance of these dialogue sessions to formulate outcomes that contribute to achieving further progress in indicators of child protection systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The first main dialogue session on best practices and interventions on child protection in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries witnessed a review of the most prominent efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the field of child protection and well-being, through a working paper presented by the Director of the Department of Centers and Family and Child Development at the Ministry and member of the National Committee for Childhood, Professor Hanaa Muhammad Nasser, It reviewed the legislation and laws aimed at guaranteeing children’s rights, the most prominent of which are the Law on Restorative Justice for Children and their Protection from Abuse, and the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence. It also touched on the National Strategy for Childhood and the objectives of its axes 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 of Bahrain aimed at promoting children's rights were also reviewed, including the signing of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, the establishment of the Child Protection Center, in addition to the establishment of the Comprehensive Disability Complex and the Social Welfare Complex. The forum included many dialogue sessions in the field of child protection services and well-being, a session on the Child Friendly Cities Initiative, the role of policy frameworks and strengthening social work forces in child protection, in addition to sessions entitled Protecting children in the digital age, and the role of communication and advocacy in enhancing child protection results. In addition to the session on protecting children from negative influences and preserving culture and values, these dialogue sessions were presented by an elite group of specialists in the field of childhood from various relevant sectors.