Qatar seeks to end crisis that threatens future of childhood

A regional conference on preventing grave violations against children in armed conflicts kicked off virtually Sunday, in co-ordination with the League of Arab States and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Qatar hosts the event as president of the 42nd meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs.
Bringing together Arab ministers of social affairs, the conference will discuss the best regional practices on preventing grave violations against children in armed conflicts and highlight ways to boost regional co-operation.
Addressing the conference, HE the Minister of Social Development and Family Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad said the conference aims to discuss our governments' views and ideas that help us crystalise a unified international and Arab position on the issue of preventing grave violations against children in armed conflicts.
HE al-Misnad added that the world is facing a complex and deep crisis that threatens the future of childhood amid the rising intensity of armed conflicts, and the absence of peaceful solutions to them, prompting those in charge of humanitarian and development work to harness further efforts and accelerate their co-ordination to limit the exacerbating humanitarian situation in countries suffering from the scourge of armed conflict, to impose peaceful dialogue and to define guarantees for the protection of children and human rights during conflicts.
Children remain the group most affected by the absence of clear mechanisms to protect them during wars and conflicts, specifically those from poverty-stricken spots, including refugees and displaced persons, as the groups that suffer the greatest share of gross violations and exploitation, Her Excellency said.
She highlighted that the Middle East showed 79% of violations against children due to armed conflict, with 93,000 children having been recruited in armed conflicts and more than 25,000 children kidnapped by the armed men between 2005 and 2020. The same period also documented 14,000 cases of child rape or forced marriage at the hands of the parties to the conflict.
This complex situation requires doubled efforts and co-operation among all countries of the world, including the Arab countries, to protect children from being exploited, especially in armed conflicts, she said, warning that distorted childhood, poverty and ignorance make appropriate incubators for extremism, terrorism and urge to revenge.
She stressed that Qatar is always ready to co-ordinate and co-operate with Arab countries and the world to support people suffering from armed conflicts, including the Sudanese people, and stop the deterioration of social and humanitarian conditions and end the crisis that threatens the future of childhood and the world.
Arab League's Assistant Secretary General and head of social affairs sector Ambassador Dr Haifa Abu Ghazaleh said the Arab League prioritises the issue of preventing heinous violations against children in the armed conflict to achieve the best interest for children, adding that the Arab Childhood Committee periodically follows up on this issue.
She underscored the Arab League's keenness to develop joint work mechanisms to curb the challenges facing children since they are among vulnerable segments affected by wars and economic and social crises, as well as providing full protection to them. She pointed to the steps taken by the Arab League in this respect in implementation of the recommendations of the 18th meeting of the follow-up committee to stop violence against children which had issued recommendations in this regard.
Dr Abu Ghazaleh said that protecting Palestinian children is imperative and urgent, stressing that international community must studiously work to stop these violations and ensure their rights and safety, in addition to holding perpetrators of these violations responsible and accountable.
In her remarks, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba stressed the need to overcome risks that threaten children in armed conflict zones.
Assistant Undersecretary for Family Affairs HE Sheikha Sheikha bint Jassim al-Thani presented a paper in which she pointed to the support provided by Qatar to the international community's efforts in promoting and protecting children's rights and providing security, development and essential services to them in various fields, emphasising that Qatar gives top priority and emphasis to the enforcement of all international laws, agreements, charters and conventions related to this field.
She noted that such an interest was demonstrated in Qatar National Vision 2030 which seeks to achieve sustainable development as derived from the universal human development goals that aim to bolster family cohesion and well-being, as well as addressing challenges and negative phenomena.
The paper addressed the challenges facing children in armed conflict zones and the subsequent serious physical, psychological and social damages, calling for laying out an Arab strategy to address impact of armed conflict on children's mental health, along with their psychological and social well-being in collaboration between the MSDF and the Ministry of Public Health.