New York: Qatar has expressed deep concern over abuses suffered by children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Syria and stressed that their suffering will continue if the international community is not able to solve the conflict.
Qatar demanded the United Nations Security Council include the protection of children in its list of priorities.
This came in a statement by Qatar to a Security Council open debate on ‘Children and Armed Conflict’, delivered by Ghanim bin Abdulrahman Al Hudaifi, Qatar’s Acting Charge D’affaires at the state’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
Al Hudaifi thanked the Security Council president for convening the meeting to discuss the issue that affects the weakest segment of society and expressed Qatar’s appreciation of for his efforts as chairman of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflicts.
He said continuation of discussion on the issue by the Security Council over the past years reflects the importance the international community attaches to the protection of children.
He said despite the obligations imposed by the international humanitarian law on parties in conflict to protect civilians, children are paying the highest price during armed conflicts because they are the most vulnerable segment of society and unable to protect themselves.
So everyone feels the dangerous impacts of wars on the psychological, physical and educational development of children and the reflection of these impacts on their communities.
He explained that the international human rights instruments, international humanitarian law and the Security Council’s resolutions ensured the protection of children, especially Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols, including Protocol I of 1977, which stipulates that children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault, and the parties to the conflicts shall provide them with care and aid they require whether because of their age or for any other reason.
Al Hudaifi added that Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), endorsed by almost all countries, stressed the protection of children affected by armed conflicts. He said Qatar believes in the importance of education for children and has paid great attention to the issue of ensuring it in times of crisis. This attention is embodied by the establishment of ‘Education Above All’ foundation which aims to provide educational opportunities to communities stricken by poverty or crises.
He also praised the ‘Educate A Child’ initiative carried out in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide education for children and empower them in conflict zones.
Al Hudaifi said Qatar’s Permanent Mission organised a high-level event on the sidelines of the 70th session of the General Assembly with the participation of ‘Education Above All’ foundation and in cooperation with several permanent delegations to study ways to enable children and their participation in the development process, provide them with skills and knowledge, protect them from exploitation and abuse and ensure their right to a decent and safe life away from fear, asylum and displacement.
He also stressed the responsibility of the parties in conflicts to secure the relief of children, which is one of the most important duties and said the fourth Geneva Convention requires states to allow free passage of all medical and hospital supplies intended for civilians and free passage of consignments of essential foodstuff, He said the Shariah provides rules and regulations that protect children from the scourge of armed conflicts, and said that workers in the field of international humanitarian law recognise that the Shariah meets perfectly with this law and international instruments on child protection during conflicts, and confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross in its literature and studies.
On international coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen, he said the coalition is committed to protecting civilians, providing humanitarian supplies to them, and paying special attention to children as dictated by its obligations under the international humanitarian law and Islam.
Al Hudaifi stressed that in line with the fundamentals and its obligations, Qatar will spare no effort to cooperate with the international community to provide an enabling environment for the protection of children not only during armed conflicts, but also at all times and in all circumstances.
QNA
New York: Qatar has expressed deep concern over abuses suffered by children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Syria and stressed that their suffering will continue if the international community is not able to solve the conflict.
Qatar demanded the United Nations Security Council include the protection of children in its list of priorities.
This came in a statement by Qatar to a Security Council open debate on ‘Children and Armed Conflict’, delivered by Ghanim bin Abdulrahman Al Hudaifi, Qatar’s Acting Charge D’affaires at the state’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
Al Hudaifi thanked the Security Council president for convening the meeting to discuss the issue that affects the weakest segment of society and expressed Qatar’s appreciation of for his efforts as chairman of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflicts.
He said continuation of discussion on the issue by the Security Council over the past years reflects the importance the international community attaches to the protection of children.
He said despite the obligations imposed by the international humanitarian law on parties in conflict to protect civilians, children are paying the highest price during armed conflicts because they are the most vulnerable segment of society and unable to protect themselves.
So everyone feels the dangerous impacts of wars on the psychological, physical and educational development of children and the reflection of these impacts on their communities.
He explained that the international human rights instruments, international humanitarian law and the Security Council’s resolutions ensured the protection of children, especially Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols, including Protocol I of 1977, which stipulates that children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault, and the parties to the conflicts shall provide them with care and aid they require whether because of their age or for any other reason.
Al Hudaifi added that Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), endorsed by almost all countries, stressed the protection of children affected by armed conflicts. He said Qatar believes in the importance of education for children and has paid great attention to the issue of ensuring it in times of crisis. This attention is embodied by the establishment of ‘Education Above All’ foundation which aims to provide educational opportunities to communities stricken by poverty or crises.
He also praised the ‘Educate A Child’ initiative carried out in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide education for children and empower them in conflict zones.
Al Hudaifi said Qatar’s Permanent Mission organised a high-level event on the sidelines of the 70th session of the General Assembly with the participation of ‘Education Above All’ foundation and in cooperation with several permanent delegations to study ways to enable children and their participation in the development process, provide them with skills and knowledge, protect them from exploitation and abuse and ensure their right to a decent and safe life away from fear, asylum and displacement.
He also stressed the responsibility of the parties in conflicts to secure the relief of children, which is one of the most important duties and said the fourth Geneva Convention requires states to allow free passage of all medical and hospital supplies intended for civilians and free passage of consignments of essential foodstuff, He said the Shariah provides rules and regulations that protect children from the scourge of armed conflicts, and said that workers in the field of international humanitarian law recognise that the Shariah meets perfectly with this law and international instruments on child protection during conflicts, and confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross in its literature and studies.
On international coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen, he said the coalition is committed to protecting civilians, providing humanitarian supplies to them, and paying special attention to children as dictated by its obligations under the international humanitarian law and Islam.
Al Hudaifi stressed that in line with the fundamentals and its obligations, Qatar will spare no effort to cooperate with the international community to provide an enabling environment for the protection of children not only during armed conflicts, but also at all times and in all circumstances.
QNA
