Al Subaie: This Conference witnessed a Qatari distinction for mobilizing efforts and advocating for children's issues.

De Boeux: Qatar has succeeded in achieving what we were thinking to organize in Europe with the participation of children and youth in our conferences.

Hatahet: The importance of setting laws for child helplines through legislative institutions.

Belazi: Participation in the Conference is a real achievement for exchanging experiences.

Al Ishaq: The Conference is a qualitative leap and an innovative method to benefit from the experiences of the participating countries.

May 25, 2022 – Doha, Qatar:

The Protection and Social Rehabilitation Center "AMAN", a center governed by the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, concluded the International Conference on Child Helplines, with international and regional praise for its excellence in involving children in managing its two-day sessions at Grand Hyatt Hotel – Al Sailiya Hall, in conjunction with the International Day of Child Helplines, which is celebrated on 17th May every year.

On the second day, the Conference discussed several themes related to child protection mechanisms. At the first session, coordination was made with the Qatar Debate Center to present a debate between the students of Abu Ubaidah Preparatory School for Boys. An opposition group and a supporter group were formed about the importance of child protection lines, by raising the issue of the possibility of the need for child helplines for Arab countries.

For the first time, the children participated in discussing their issues. The child Fatima Al Mohannadi, winner of the Scientific Excellence Award and Akhlaquna Award, presented a worksheet on the autism spectrum and child helplines, explaining how these groups can report. The child Abdullah Al Mohannadi, winner of Akhlaquna Award, presented a worksheet on bullying and child helplines, and explained the mechanism for providing protection for children exposed to any kind of bullying.

The third session concluded with a presentation of several international models and practices of child helplines from several international and regional organizations concerned with children's issues, and a discussion of the child's image in art and the media, and the impact of social media on children, as well as a review of Arab models of child helplines practices in some Arab countries.

Statement by Mr. Abdul Aziz bin Saud Al Subaie – Chairman of UNICEF

Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Subaie, Chairman of UNICEF, said: “In these beautiful moments, I want to express my happiness for a conference, in which the leading partner was the child for whom the Conference was held. All of the Conference sessions were managed by distinguished children, despite the weight of the files studied. The Conference witnessed a clear Qatari distinction in mobilizing efforts and advocating for children's issues.

He added: “The theme of the Conference is in line with the International Day of Child Helplines, which means the great openness to the experiences of different countries and organizations, which brought together personalities and organizations from most countries of the world. The Conference addressed important themes, including bullying, violence and aggression, developed a set of visions, solutions and tools, and gathered a set of experiences and cultures. It was truly an integrated Conference."

Al Subaie said: “The UNICEF had valuable contributions from many of its members in this Conference, which witnessed the launch of AMAN Center's project called “AMAN Shield" platform, so that the scope of this platform would be the Gulf region and MENA, calling on the participating international organizations around the world to take the initiative in developing tools and methods for this leading project.

Al Subaie concluded his statement by saying: “I would like to take this opportunity to extend my pride and thanks to the State of Qatar and His Highness Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who supports all childhood issues globally, and to the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, represented by AMAN Center.

Heidi De Boeux, CEO of Child Focus

I am very happy and would like to thank AMAN Center for organizing this Conference, as she said: “Qatar has succeeded in achieving what we were thinking to organize in Europe with the participation of children and youth in our conferences, because in Europe we talked a lot about this type of gathering, and here in Qatar you succeeded in organizing it with the participation of children and youth, you have even been able to enlighten us the way we must go. We are very happy to see these youth and children participate and express their opinions.

Basem Hatahet – CEO of UNICEF: It is important to set laws for child helplines:

Bassem Hatahat, CEO of UNICEF, said: “There are three things that must be considered in child helplines. The first of which are hotlines and helplines for children, which have become very important. Secondly, the presence of social media. Bullying of children is a form of violence that is practiced against children. If the child does not find a specialist or a member of his family to resort to, the child resorts to child helplines. Therefore, we stress the importance of setting special laws for child helplines that must be taken into account and apply to the institutions concerned with child issues.

Lotfi Belazi – General Director of Childhood in the Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors

First, I thank AMAN Center, headed by Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Ishaq and all those behind him, for highlighting this distinguished experience and this excellent organization. I greatly appreciate the participation of children and enabling their right to participate in this advanced initiative. This will inspire us to implement this experience in our country. All words of thanks and expressions can not recognize this Center and its employees.

Mr. Belazi asserted that the participation of the Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors, represented by the Director General of the child-oriented National Media Center, and Mr. Samir bin Maryam, the Director General of Childhood, in the International Conference on Child Helplines organized by AMAN Center in the State of Qatar, and his presentation of a worksheet on the impact of the media and social media on children: “The Tunisian approach to protecting children from the dangers of cyberspace", are real achievement for exchanging experiences. The main benefit comes from participating in the meeting on the sidelines of the Conference on the possibility of cooperation with AMAN Center, as well as with the Child Helplines International.

Abdul Aziz Al Ishaq: The Conference is a qualitative leap and an innovative method to benefit from the experiences of the participating countries

At the conclusion of the Conference, Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Ishaq, CEO of AMAN Center, presented the final statement of the Conference, including a set of recommendations that were the product of the discussion of specialists participating in this Conference. The first recommendation emphasized the importance of preparing guidelines for procedural and value standards, and harmonizing and standardizing concepts and terminology used by child helplines around the world, such as CHI.

The second recommendation is to urge legislative bodies to develop legislation and laws regarding children in light of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child issued in 1989. The third recommendation emphasized the importance of executing memoranda of understanding between relevant stakeholders, locally and internationally, activating them through specific protocols, and taking advantage of the possibilities available to partners. The fourth recommendation focused on preparing a standard emergency plan in case of crises and disasters with regard to child protection and children ability to access national protection services.

In addition to building the specialized capacities of human cadres dedicated to providing access services, including training on standard work in hotlines and linking them to national emergency lines, training them on the rules of dealing with persons with disabilities, and strengthening the technological infrastructure in access systems, case management and the sustainability of technology-based practices, according to the fifth and sixth recommendations.

The seventh recommendation is to unify the child helpline numbers in all over the world to be “919" as a unified global line. The participants indicated the importance of this point by mobilizing efforts to achieve it internationally.

The eighth recommendation is to conduct researches and studies in order to establish awareness campaigns that suit the needs of children, develop the services provided to them, and activate the role of the media in spreading awareness of child helplines and the services they provide. The ninth recommendation stated that granting greater powers to workers in child care and education institutions to report cases of abuse and violence would have a clear impact on the development of this service.

The tenth and final recommendation mentioned the importance of supporting and encouraging the involvement of children through effective communication with educational authorities and empowering them in the areas of spreading child protection values and concepts and raising awareness about them.

Finally, Al Ishaq said: “The Conference, through its objectives that were set and achieved, is a qualitative leap and an innovative way that has strengthened the position of the State of Qatar in the field of child protection. In addition, the Conference provides spaces to be a meeting point for those interested in child protection and support through child helplines, exchanging experiences and benefiting from the experiences of the countries participating in this Conference".