Under the slogan “The Right of Expression”, the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai is hosting the Child Rights Conference to be held in Dubai on May 10 and 11, 2010, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. This initiative is part of CDA’s commitment to strengthen the pillars of social protection and guarantee human rights.
The conference is a unique platform for dialogue and discussion. Children will be the main speakers; they will present 22 working papers prepared based on topics they selected that touch upon their hopes and vision in solving their problems and concerns.
The aim of the conference is to highlight the role and initiatives of the Government of Dubai in promoting children's rights in the society and raising awareness on their rights in social welfare, health, psychological welfare and education. It also aims to give an opportunity for children to express their issues on their own.
His Excellency Mr Khaled Al Kamda, Director General, CDA, said that the UAE is making considerable efforts in the field of human rights in general and the rights of children in particular. He highlighted the Ministerial Decree issued by His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, on the development of a permanent supreme committee for the protection of children in the Ministry of the Interior.
The committee’s first task is to establish a centre for child protection that covers crimes that children may be exposed to and children’s exploitation. The committee will develop solutions and initiatives to ensure protection of children’s rights.
“Dubai Government focuses its efforts to promote initiatives that ensure individuals of all ages can enjoy their full rights. Hosting the conference is in line with the vision of our wise leadership that the real investment is in building human resources right from childhood,” said Al Kamda.
Dr Ghaith Ghanem Al Suwaidi, CEO of Human Rights, CDA, said: “The conference discusses a number of issues related to children in general through six key areas - the UAE’s position on the support of Child rights globally, child rights in education and knowledge, the mental and physical health rights of the child, child media rights and the environment and development rights of children.”
The United Arab Emirates ratified a number of international conventions on the protection of children including the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1997, the ILO Convention regarding the eradication of Child Labor in 1998, and the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Children Labor in 2010.
