The development of childhood and the enhancement of children's rights form a guiding framework towards creating a better world now and in the future.By listening to children we can fulfil their right to self-expression, understand their ideas for a better world and include their priorities in our actions today.This year, the world and its international institutions are celebrating World Children's Day under the theme "Listen to the future. Stand Up for Children's Rights." World Children's Day offers everyone an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.World Children's Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.November 20th is an important date as it is the date when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is one of the leading international organizations active in the field of children's rights, their development, and protection. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children living amid social challenges and armed conflicts. UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations system in 1953 and has launched global campaigns focusing especially on health and education.UNICEF draws attention to poverty as a primary concern, which affects children disproportionately around the world. One in every six children globally lives in extreme poverty, earning less than $1.90 per day, and their families struggle to meet basic healthcare costs and the nutrition necessary for a strong start in life. In 2019, 149 million children under the age of five suffered from stunting due to malnutrition.Despite significant progress in school enrollment rates in many parts of the world, more than 175 million children are not enrolled in pre-primary education, missing a critical investment opportunity and suffering deep inequalities from the start, missing a critical investment opportunity and suffering deep inequalities from the start. UNICEF statistics show that 6 out of 10 children leave primary school without achieving the minimum levels of literacy, writing, or mathematics. This challenge is exacerbated in areas affected by prolonged armed conflicts.For over 20 years, UNICEF has been working to garner support against the recruitment of children in armed conflicts. Since then, thousands of children have been released due to action plans decided by the United Nations Security Council and other measures aimed at ending and preventing the exploitation of children by armed forces and groups. However, serious challenges remain in protecting children affected by armed conflict.In 2019, 1.6 billion children, or about 69%, lived in conflict-affected countries. Approximately 426 million children live in conflict zones. These children face numerous risks, including displacement, separation from their families, forced recruitment, or becoming victims of organized gangs in some fragile states.In this context, violence against children represents one of the most significant developmental challenges, as it is a major barrier to achieving basic cultural and educational requirements. This includes the growing issue of bullying via the internet, leading to isolation, loneliness, and fear, particularly among younger children who are more vulnerable because they are less able to speak out and seek support.The State of Qatar's government and its institutions place great emphasis on enhancing and protecting children's rights. This is clearly demonstrated through the establishment of numerous legal frameworks, as well as the adoption of administrative and practical measures in various fields at the national, regional, and international levels. This is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and its commitments to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Qatar acceded in 1992 and ratified in 1995.The State of Qatar has created appropriate mechanisms to protect children's rights, such as the Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre (Aman), under the umbrella of Qatar Foundation for Social Work. This center aims to raise awareness of child protection and build institutional capacities in this area. Additionally, Qatar supports efforts to enhance and protect children's rights in education through numerous governmental initiatives and initiatives by civil society institutions, providing quality education opportunities for both Qatari citizens and residents.The State of Qatar has established one of the world's most advanced educational systems, which received a government expenditure of nearly 3.3 percent of the country's GDP in 2019 - one of the highest public expending rates in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the Word Bank. Nearly QR 19.2 billion (USD 5.3 billion) was allocated to the education sector from the budget, representing about 9.3 percent of total expenditures allocated to the education sector and child care institutions.Regarding the enhancement of the protection of children, the State of Qatar has not overlooked the role of technological development and the opportunities it provides in the digital field for education and enhancing the protection of children's rights. In this field, the Qatar Social Work Foundation launched in 2018 the 'Help Me' app, as the first e-service for children that enables them to request help via mobile phone in case they are harmed.At the level of regional and international cooperation, the State of Qatar implemented international and regional initiatives aimed at providing quality education to millions of children who have been deprived due to poverty, armed conflicts, insecurity, and disasters. Among these initiatives, for example, are the "Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict" program - a founding member of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), and the Educate A Child (EAC) program - an unprecedented initiative that enrolled 10 million children in schooling through implementing over 65 projects in 50 countries, in partnership with 82 global partners.The State of Qatar is proud of its close partnership with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and hosting and financially supporting its Doha-based Analysis and Outreach Hub for the years 2018-2023. The State of Qatar is also proud of its partnership with UNICEF to implement many projects and programs, which contributed to saving the lives of children, defending their rights and helping them achieve their potential, including the opening of the UNESCO Regional Office as part of the UN House in Doha in March 2022.The 10-year partnership between UNICEF and Qatar's Education Above All Foundation (EAA) has achieved a major transformation in the lives of over five million children and young people in 17 countries, through their joint programs, which were reflected in "A Decade of Dreams" exhibition, held in partnership with UNICEF in New York on Sep. 13, 2023, to mark 10 years of effective and fruitful cooperation to change the lives of millions of children around the world.
