(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat -
The sixth Arabic International Conference on the prevention of child abuse and neglect started on Sunday. The highlight of the conference was the announcement of a child protection app for the sultanate.
Lana al Wreikat, Unicef representative to the sultanate, spoke about the need to focus on protecting children in school. 'An app for helping children who face abuse is on the anvil. It will be named 'My Protection'. It will help those being abused to report the issue. Police, Public Prosecution, psychologists and cybercrime specialists too will be part of the app. A hotline will also be available in the app to solve problems.'
The three-day congress is being hosted by Unicef Oman in partnership with the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Ministry of Social Development, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and Children First Association at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Held under the patronage of H H Dr Sayyida Muna bint Fahd al Said, assistant vice chancellor of International cooperation, SQU and founder and chairperson of Children First Association, the congress aims to provide a platform for a global perspective on research, best practices, and innovation to promote child protection, attracting shared experiences of world renowned academics and specialists, as well as regional scholars and experts.
Around 400 experts, professionals, and high-level officials from over 35 countries around the world are participating in this congress. Other high-level officials present during the event included Dr Najat Maalla M'jid, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Violence against Children and H E Dr Yahya bin Badr bin Malik al Ma'awali, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Social Development.
The event will also provide an invaluable opportunity to showcase the sultanate's achievements in relation to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its commitment towards securing a sustainable development for all in pursuant to the Oman Vision 2040.
Dr Sayyida Muna, said, 'Through this platform, we can share wealth of knowledge and experiences at the national, regional and international levels in the field of child rights and child protection, promoting evidence-based practices in preventing and responding to child maltreatment. As many as 227 papers will be presented and we will try to imbibe the theoretical concepts into practical use. This congress aims at improving the future of the child.'
Dr Najat highlighted that 2019 is a milestone year in moving towards the realisation of the ambitious vision of the Convention of the Rights of Child and accelerating action for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Several protection themes will be addressed during the forum ranging from violence against children, child abuse, cyberbullying, domestic violence and its impact on the well-being of the child, legislation and successful initiatives.
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