Bahrain participates in the meetings of the Arab Childhood Committee and Violence Against Children and the Arab Family Committee

17-09-2020

The Kingdom of Bahrain participated via videoconference on 15–16 September in the twenty‑fourth session of the Arab Childhood Committee, the sixteenth meeting of the Follow‑up Committee to End Violence against Children and the tenth session of the Arab Family Committee, all convened by the League of Arab States’ General Secretariat. The Bahraini delegation was led by Mr Khalid Abdulrahman Ishaq Al Kooheji, Acting Under‑Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development and Assistant Under‑Secretary for Community Development. Al Kooheji explained that the three meetings convened under exceptional regional circumstances, notably the economic downturn and the ongoing spread of COVID‑19, both of which have affected children and families across the Arab world. The twenty‑fourth session of the Arab Childhood Committee examined the pandemic’s impact on children and ways to protect them from risks associated with modern communication technologies. The sixteenth meeting of the Follow‑up Committee to End Violence against Children reviewed cooperation with relevant international child‑protection bodies and assessed progress achieved under the Arab Child‑Friendly Justice Manual. Meanwhile, the tenth session of the Arab Family Committee considered several strategies aimed at developing and strengthening Arab family capabilities, including the Arab Strategy to Reduce Domestic Violence and enhance family cohesion. During Bahrain’s interventions, Al Kooheji outlined Bahrain’s foremost achievements in safeguarding child rights and detailed the Kingdom’s regional and international initiatives that reinforce child protection. He highlighted government measures that deliver comprehensive health and education services to all target groups, ensuring every child grows up in a supportive environment backed by legislation that protects both childhood and the family. Al Kooheji stressed the value of exchanging expertise across Arab states and replicating successful, high‑impact initiatives to strengthen development programmes focused on families and children.