MLSD Minister participates in the session of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs
29-10-2020
His Excellency Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development, took part in the seventy‑fifth session of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, convened remotely under the chairmanship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s Minister of Social Development, who currently presides over both the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and its Executive Office. The Kingdom of Bahrain sits on the eight‑member Executive Office, which prepares agendas for ministerial meetings and oversees implementation of the projects and programmes the Council approves. Participants reviewed the dossiers slated for the fortieth session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, set for December, and discussed ways to reinforce member‑state initiatives aimed at containing the social and humanitarian repercussions of the COVID‑19 pandemic. They also examined executive strategies and action plans covering a range of social‑affairs priorities. Humaidan reiterated the Kingdom of Bahrain’s unwavering commitment to joint Arab action, noting that Bahrain continues to assist sister Arab states in executing social and development programmes aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. He underscored Bahrain’s wider humanitarian contributions to confronting the COVID‑19 pandemic, which has affected many segments of Arab societies, and called for unified regional efforts to safeguard public health and social security. The session examined progress in realising the social dimensions of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on eradicating multidimensional poverty and upholding the rights of persons with disabilities and senior citizens across Arab countries. Humaidan reviewed Bahrain’s national initiatives in this regard, highlighting social‑welfare schemes that secure a decent standard of living for diverse groups within the Kingdom. He also outlined the Government’s precautionary and preventive measures against COVID‑19, including programmes dedicated to protecting children, senior citizens, and people of determination, thereby reinforcing Bahrain’s comprehensive approach to community health and safety. The meeting culminated in several key resolutions, foremost among them the endorsement of the final draft of the Arab Strategy for Volunteer Work and the accompanying executive action plan for the Arab Family Action Platform, which will serve as a guiding reference for member states. Participants also ratified the Arab Strategy for Reducing Domestic Violence and Strengthening Family Cohesion, alongside the executive plan for the Arab Child-Friendly Justice Manual. In addition, the Social Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States’ General Secretariat was instructed to develop a dedicated project aimed at bolstering the rights of persons with disabilities throughout the Arab world.