Petra News Agency
Monday, November 22, 2004
Arab Parliamentarian
Conference on Child Protection Starts in Amman
Amman, Nov. 22(Petra)-- The first Arab Parliamentarian Conference on child
protection started in Amman on Monday.
The conference is organized by the Jordanian Parliament in cooperation with the
Arab Parliamentary Union, and supported by the Inter- Parliamentary Union and
UNICEF.
Parliamentarians from 17 Arab countries will discuss during the two- day
conference joint strategies to promote their role in implementing the Convention
of the Right of Child with a special focus on ways of assisting in guaranteeing
a protective environment for children against violence, abuse and exploitation.
Speaker of the Lower House of the Parliament, Abdel Hadi Majali, who patronized
the conference, delivered a speech in the opening ceremony in which he said that
Jordanian parliament works on developing child protection mechanisms to ensure
that every child has the right to free primary education to secure the physical,
mental, and social well being of the child.
Majali also expressed hope that further cooperation would be created between
Arab countries in the field of childhood, particularly in the conflict areas.
"Jordan's parliament enforces the implementation of children's rights through
legislations pertaining to child rights, and by having endorsed international
conventions and agreements on children," Majali explained.
On his part, UNICEF Regional Director of the Middle East and North Africa,
Thomas McDermott, delivered a speech in which he noted that the Conference is
another landmark event for the advancement of children's rights in the region.
"There can be no better measure of governance that the way we treat our
children, and no greater failing on our part that to allow our children to be
subject to violence, abuse and exploitation," the UNICEF's official added.
McDermott also noted that UNICEF would support ,at the national, regional and
international levels, to assist parliamentarians to use their powers for the
benefit of children and the full realization of children's rights.
On his part, Secretary General of the Arab Parliamentary Union, Nor Uddin
Bushkouh delivered a speech in which he noted to the situation of children in
Palestine and Iraq, pointing to the effect of what is happening in Iraq and
Palestine on children.
It is noted that the conference marks the 15 anniversary of the Convention of
the Right of the Child adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20
November, 1989 and to which Arab countries have signed.