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The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, the Arab Labor Organization, and the Arab Council for Childhood and Development have jointly affirmed that the children of Gaza are enduring one of the gravest humanitarian tragedies, with their fundamental right to life being flagrantly violated. They stressed that the ongoing situation in Gaza places the international community before an urgent moral and legal responsibility to protect Palestinian children and safeguard their rights to health, education, and a safe and dignified life.In a joint statement issued on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour, observed annually on June 12, the organizations revealed that recent statistics indicate the martyrdom of nearly 18,000 children in Gaza, while thousands of others have been deprived of the most basic necessities of life.The statement emphasized that the forthcoming Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to take place in Qatar this November, represents a pivotal opportunity to address mechanisms for promoting decent work and combating poverty, the primary driver of child labour. The summit's outcomes are expected to contribute to the deliberations of the Sixth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, to be held in Morocco in 2026, thereby strengthening the synergy between national, regional, and international efforts.The statement urgently called on all relevant stakeholders to act swiftly to protect children from all forms of exploitation and to uphold their rights as enshrined in international charters and agreements. It particularly underscored the plight of working children, who have been stripped of their childhood and innocence, subjected to harm both physically and psychologically, and denied their basic rights to education, development, and a life of dignity, humanity, and justice.The statement further called for intensified Arab and international attention and reiterated the need to reinforce regional and global commitments to eliminating all forms of child labour. It also pointed out that this year's observance of the World Day Against Child Labour comes while the global goal of eradicating child labour in all its forms by 2025 remains far from reach.It noted that the latest global estimates, issued in 2021, revealed that approximately 160 million children are engaged in child labour worldwide, 63 million girls and 97 million boys. This alarming figure is attributed to a succession of global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, ongoing conflicts and wars, rapid technological advancement, and widening social and economic disparities.The joint statement affirmed the unwavering commitment of the participating organizations to continue collaborative efforts to combat child labour and to support international movements and UN-led initiatives in this regard.It is worth noting that the International Labour Organization (ILO) designated June 12 as the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002, aiming to raise global awareness about the prevalence of child labour and to mobilize efforts towards its eradication. (

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, met with Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.The meeting reviewed the State of Qatar's ongoing preparations to host the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to be held from November 4-6.

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with President and CEO of Save the Children US, Janti Soeripto, at the Permanent Mission's headquarters in New York.During the meeting, they reviewed ways to enhance cooperation and partnership between the State of Qatar and Save the Children, particularly in light of the ongoing preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development, which Qatar will host at the end of this year.Both sides affirmed the importance of coordinating efforts to empower children and youth and to ensure their rights to development and education.

HE the Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Dr Hamda bint Hassan al-Sulaiti, has reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to supporting development efforts and promoting South-South co-operation through its global development partnerships and humanitarian initiatives.This came at the opening session of the third South-South Parliamentary Dialogue Forum, held in Rabat under the theme “Interregional and intercontinental dialogues in the countries of the South: an essential lever for meeting the new challenges of international co-operation and achieving peace, security, stability and shared development,” HE Dr al-Sulaiti highlighted Qatar’s efforts in supporting developing countries.She pointed to Qatar’s development and humanitarian aid contributions, as well as its partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in supporting the Accelerator Labs initiative.HE Dr al-Sulaiti also emphasised the role of the Education Above All Foundation, launched by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, which seeks to ensure access to education for marginalised children, describing investment in human capital as essential to achieving genuine development.In addition, she referenced Qatar’s preparations to host the second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025, a platform to address issues of social justice, the empowerment of vulnerable groups, and the promotion of global solidarity.She underlined the importance of digital transformation for supporting development in the Global South, noting that Qatar has become a leading example in leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to drive sustainable growth.She highlighted Qatar’s success in building a cutting-edge digital infrastructure and adopting ambitious national strategies, allowing it to rank among the top countries in technological readiness and innovation, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.Digital progress, she said, plays a crucial role in boosting economic integration among Global South countries and tackling economic, social, and environmental challenges. She called for greater investment in technology and artificial intelligence as a core component of national development strategies.Addressing the challenges facing the Global South amid accelerating global changes, HE Dr al-Sulaiti stressed the interconnectedness of developmental, economic, and humanitarian crises, warning that ongoing double standards in the international community undermine the prospects for fair development.She drew attention to the plight of the Palestinian people under Israeli aggression, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, and warned that the lack of international accountability for such crimes threatens global peace and raises questions about the effectiveness of international institutions.Achieving sustainable development, she argued, is impossible without ensuring international justice. HE Dr al-Sulaiti called for a stronger role for regional and international parliaments and reforms to the UN system to promote fairness and efficiency.She noted the adoption of two resolutions by the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent regarding the Palestinian issue, calling for a two-state solution. The resolution emphasised the importance of adhering to international law and halting the aggression against Gaza, along with another resolution related to parliamentary strategies to mitigate the effects of conflicts on sustainable development, stressing that they are consistent with the State of Qatar’s positions in support of peace and development.HE Dr al-Sulaiti emphasised the need for comprehensive strategies focused on self-reliance, closing development gaps, infrastructure investment, unified economic policies, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and environmental sustainability through green initiatives and partnerships.In closing, she stressed that achieving the aspirations of the Global South for justice, development, and stability requires strong political will and a shared commitment to collective interests, calling for unified efforts to build a more just and sustainable future.Separately, the Shura Council participated in a forum session on the role of regional initiatives and dialogues in promoting economic integration and joint development among Global South countries. During the session, Shura Council Member Abdullah bin Ali al-Sulaiti outlined Qatar’s efforts to support economic integration among countries of the South.On the sidelines of the forum’s opening day, HE Dr al-Sulaiti met with President of the Chamber of Councillors of Morocco, Mohamed Ould Rachid. The meeting emphasised the importance of the topics discussed at the forum, particularly those related to enhancing South-South co-operation efforts, as well as reviewing ways to enhance bilateral co-operation between the two sides.She also met with President of Chile’s Senate, Manuel Jose Ossandon Irarrazabal, and President of the National Congress of Honduras and Chair of the Forum of Central American and Caribbean Countries, Luis Redondo, to explore prospects for strengthened parliamentary co-ordination.

HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, reaffirmed the State of Qatar's commitment to supporting development efforts and promoting South-South cooperation through its global development partnerships and humanitarian initiatives.This came at the opening session of the third South-South Parliamentary Dialogue Forum, held over two days in Rabat under the theme "Interregional and intercontinental dialogues in the countries of the South: an essential lever for meeting the new challenges of international cooperation and achieving peace, security, stability and shared development,"HE Dr. Al Sulaiti highlighted Qatar's efforts in supporting developing countries.She pointed to Qatar's development and humanitarian aid contributions, as well as its partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in supporting the Accelerator Labs initiative.Dr. Al Sulaiti also emphasized the role of the Education Above All Foundation, launched by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, which seeks to ensure access to education for marginalized children, describing investment in human capital as essential to achieving genuine development.In addition, she referenced Qatar's preparations to host the second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025, a platform to address issues of social justice, the empowerment of vulnerable groups, and the promotion of global solidarity.HE Dr. Al Sulaiti underlined the importance of digital transformation for supporting development in the Global South, noting that Qatar has become a leading example in leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to drive sustainable growth.She highlighted Qatar's success in building a cutting-edge digital infrastructure and adopting ambitious national strategies, allowing it to rank among the top countries in technological readiness and innovation, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.Digital progress, she said, plays a crucial role in boosting economic integration among Global South countries and tackling economic, social, and environmental challenges. She called for greater investment in technology and artificial intelligence as a core component of national development strategies.Addressing the challenges facing the Global South amid accelerating global changes, HE Dr. Al Sulaiti stressed the interconnectedness of developmental, economic, and humanitarian crises, warning that ongoing double standards in the international community undermine the prospects for fair development.She drew attention to the plight of the Palestinian people under Israeli aggression, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, and warned that the lack of international accountability for such crimes threatens global peace and raises questions about the effectiveness of international institutions.Achieving sustainable development, she argued, is impossible without ensuring international justice. Dr. Al Sulaiti called for a stronger role for regional and international parliaments and reforms to the United Nations system to promote fairness and efficiency.She noted the adoption of two resolutions by the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent regarding the Palestinian issue, calling for a two-state solution. The resolution emphasized the importance of adhering to international law and halting the aggression against Gaza, along with another resolution related to parliamentary strategies to mitigate the effects of conflicts on sustainable development, stressing that they are consistent with the State of Qatar's positions in support of peace and development.HE Dr. Al Sulaiti emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies focused on self-reliance, closing development gaps, infrastructure investment, unified economic policies, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and environmental sustainability through green initiatives and partnerships.In closing, she stressed that achieving the aspirations of the Global South for justice, development, and stability requires strong political will and a shared commitment to collective interests, calling for unified efforts to build a more just and sustainable future.Separately, the Shura Council participated in a forum session on the role of regional initiatives and dialogues in promoting economic integration and joint development among Global South countries. During the session, HE Shura Council Member Abdullah bin Ali Al Sulaiti outlined Qatar's efforts to support economic integration among countries of the South.He emphasized that these efforts stem from Qatar's belief in the importance of parliamentary dialogue as a cornerstone for strengthening economic integration and building flexible legislative frameworks that support sustainable development.Participants at the forum focused on strengthening economic integration and promoting shared development among countries of the Global South, against the backdrop of mounting global economic and developmental challenges.Discussions also highlighted the importance of activating joint parliamentary action as a key driver for advancing economic integration efforts and expanding frameworks for cooperation among Southern nations.The forum further emphasized the need to support innovation, facilitate technology transfer between countries of the Global South, and invest in building national capacities and developing human capital, enabling nations to fully leverage the opportunities presented by the technological revolution.On the sidelines of the forum's opening day, HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, met with HE President of the Chamber of Councillors of Morocco, Mohamed Ould Rachid. During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of the topics discussed at the forum, particularly those related to enhancing South-South cooperation efforts, as well as reviewing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two sides.Her Excellency also met with President of Chile's Senate, Manuel Jose Ossandon Irarrazabal, and President of the National Congress of Honduras and Chair of the Forum of Central American and Caribbean Countries, Luis Redondo, to explore prospects for strengthened parliamentary coordination.

Represented by the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the State of Qatar is participating in the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, held in Beirut, Lebanon, from April 14-16, 2025.The forum is organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), with the participation of ministers and high-level officials from various Arab countries, as well as representatives of United Nations organizations, civil society, and the private sector.HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi led the State of Qatar's delegation at the forum, which is being held in preparation for the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to be held in Doha in November. This reflects Qatar's unwavering commitment to the principles of fair and comprehensive development and to strengthening joint Arab action to address the social and economic challenges in the region.On the sidelines of the forum, HE the Minister of Social Development and Family met with HE Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Lebanon Haneen Al Sayed. The two sides discussed opportunities for bilateral cooperation and the exchange of experiences in the areas of protecting vulnerable groups, responding to crises, empowering women, and supporting development efforts in the social and economic contexts.Her Excellency also met with HE Minister of Social Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic Hind Kabawat. The two sides discussed the importance of exchanging expertise in developing social policies, enhancing community protection, and economic empowerment for the most vulnerable groups, thus enhancing Arab countries' response to common social challenges.This participation is part of Qatar's active efforts to prepare for hosting the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha. The summit aims to reshape a new international vision that reaffirms the social dimension of development and promotes more inclusive, equitable, and flexible models in light of current global changes.

The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco to the United Nations, in their capacity as Co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace, organized an event in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).Held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the event, themed "Leveling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion," was intended to mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2025.Addressing the event, HE UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, underscored the unique capability of sport in bridging gaps and reinforcing integration, highlighting its role in beefing up job opportunities, combating discrimination, and building the abilities to adaptation, particularly in vulnerable communities.HE Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, noted the critical role sport plays in empowering women, emphasizing that sport helps break conventional strictures that could prevent women's empowerment.The second part of the event featured the participation of a host of athletes who have differently contributed to backing the efforts aimed at promoting the role of sport in creating a positive change in the world and communities, chief amongst them being Sheikha Asma Al-Thani, the Qatari mountaineer and partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); Jamal Hill, the American Paralympic swimmer and bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games; Justin Morrow, the American professional soccer player, social justice advocate, and Director of Partnerships and Sports Programming at the University of South California's Race and Equity Center; Veronica Shiffi, the American basketball player at San Diego State University; and Tegla Loroupe, the Kenyan former long-distance runner and sprinter, and global advocate for peace and women's rights.Sheikha Asma Al-Thani shared her personal experience, emphasizing that sport has been a vehicle for self-expression, surmounting challenges, and inculcating the hope in women and girls in the region to have dreams and belief in their abilities. She stressed the importance of families' support for girls to engage in sporting activities, noting the remarkable surge in the number of female mountaineers in the State of Qatar and the Arab region, as a testament to the positive shift in societal norms.In addition, Sheikha Asma Al-Thani talked about the role sport plays in serving global issues, shining a spotlight on the profound symbolism of holding the UNHCR's flag aloft during her career as a message of solidarity with marginalized and displaced communities. She commended the State of Qatar's role in deepening sport diplomacy, highlighting the humanitarian and cultural legacy of major tournaments like the Football World Cup.The participants deliberated on the profound role sport plays in shaping their identities and expanding their social and humanitarian prospects, as the topics ranged from mental health, social justice, awareness about climate and water, to emerging generation empowerment. They underscored the importance of international cooperation to capitalize on the transformative power of sport in building more inclusive societies, particularly for the benefit of youth, women, and marginalized groups, calling for sport to be positioned as a central pillar within the agenda of the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to be convened in Doha in November 2025. (QNA)

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of enhancing international cooperation to drive development and support the most vulnerable communities. They also discussed key issues on the agenda of the Second World Summit for Social Development, which is scheduled to take place this year in Doha.

Social and humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon will be at the forefront of the agenda of the 44th session of the Council of Arab Ministers for Social Affairs at the ministerial level, to commence in Bahrain on Tuesday and spanning for two days.In a statement on Sunday, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the Arab League Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh said that social and humanitarian conditions in Gaza and Lebanon will be a priority for the Council's discussions due to the inhuman practices of Israel, the occupying power.The Ambassador added that this is part of an effort to alleviate the difficult social and humanitarian conditions in Gaza and other occupied territories, along with ways to continue providing social and humanitarian support in Lebanon.Abu Ghazaleh said that the Council will also discuss several priority issues for joint Arab social and developmental work, including topics related to multidimensional poverty, social policies, persons with disabilities, the elderly, as well as family and child affairs, putting forward joint strategies, programs, and initiatives.The Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the Arab League said that setting the social affairs dossier for the upcoming Arab Summit will take a significant part of the Council's agenda, in addition to setting Arab position vis-a-vis the agendas of the Second World Summit for Social Development and the Global Disability Summit in line with Arab priorities.Abu Ghazaleh said that the meeting of the Council at the level of Senior Officials, which began Sunday and will run for two days, is working on draft resolutions and proposals to be presented to the Arab Social Affairs Ministers for appropriate action, in the pursuit of strengthening joint Arab social and developmental efforts and supporting Arab countries implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua at Headquarters of the United Nations in New York.During the meeting, they the two sides discussed Qatar-UN cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, in addition to the ongoing arrangements for the Second World Summit for Social Development, slated for 2025 in Doha.

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met today at the Amiri Diwan with Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed, who is visiting the country.During the meeting, the two sides discussed cooperation relations between the State of Qatar and the UN and ways to support and enhance them. They also discussed the State of Qatar's ongoing preparations to host the second World Summit for Social Development 2025 (WSSD2), in addition to discussing the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries 2022-2031.During the meeting, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed the State of Qatar's aspiration to welcome participants from all around the globe in Doha, as well as to achieve tangible outcomes that contribute to building a better world. His Excellency also expressed Qatar's aspiration to strengthen cooperation with the United Nations.

Qatar participated Sunday in the "Summit of the Future," held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) in New York.HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani led Qatar's delegation during the summit.Delivering Qatar's statement before the summit, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Qatar, under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, launched in 2024 the third phase of its national development strategy within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030, keen to build a diversified and sustainable knowledge-based economy by benefiting from the applications of digital technology, science and innovation, and enhancing human development. He noted that it has achieved remarkable successes on the ground, reflecting the effectiveness of the state's strategic choices.He also emphasized Qatar's commitment to international multilateral action. In this regard, he referred to His Highness the Amir's pledge of $500mn to support the core resources of UN agencies for ten years, Qatar's announcement during the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 to allocate $100mn to support small island developing states and least developed countries in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Africa regions, and its hosting of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in March 2023 and its pledge of $60mn to implement development programmes in those countries.HE Sheikh Mohammed added that Qatar has pledged this year, in partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to allocate 20 % of its Special Drawing Rights holdings, valued at $1 bn, to the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) and IMF Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which will enable the fund to expand concessional lending to low-income countries and countries vulnerable to climate shocks. He pointed out that in June, Qatar also launched its Debt Relief for Education Initiative in cooperation with the World Bank.HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Qatar is fully convinced that the 2030 agenda and achieving its sustainable development goals require more international and national efforts. Therefore, Qatar participated effectively in all stages of the negotiations on the final document of this summit and its annexes, as an extension of its support for the recommendations of the Secretary-General of the UN in his report on "Our Common Agenda," and its participation in leading the negotiations on the political declaration of the UN Sustainable Development Summit held in 2023.He pointed out that the world today is facing serious challenges that hinder its economic progress, threaten its social peace, and slow down efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He said that wars, armed conflicts, and the climate change's negative effects pose serious challenges, especially to developing and least-developed countries, which require the world to quickly address and overcome these challenges for the sake of the aspired future.HE Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of enhancing global governance, including reforming international financing structures, alleviating the debt burden, and bridging the digital gap. He emphasised the need to enhance efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth and social welfare based on protecting human rights and empowering women, in addition to enhancing climate action under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.HE the Prime Minister also stressed that development cannot be achieved without establishing the foundations of peace and stability, so Qatar continues its tireless efforts in mediation to prevent the outbreak of conflicts and resolve them through peaceful means and has achieved regional and international successes in cooperation with its regional and international allies.He added that Qatar is currently engaged in various mediations, including mediation between Hamas and Israel, in partnership with Egypt and the US, to stop the disastrous war on the Gaza Strip. He reiterated Qatar's call to the parties to the conflict to reach a ceasefire agreement and release prisoners and hostages and its call on the international community to take a clear position regarding violations of international law and international humanitarian law regarding the repeated attacks on schools, hospitals, relief workers, and displaced persons in Gaza.The Prime Minister expressed Qatar's pride in hosting the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), which will be the key global event in 2025 within the series of three summits recommended by "Our Common Agenda." He voiced Qatar's aspiration to receive participants from all over the world in Doha, and to achieve tangible results that contribute to building a better world.The Summit of the Future, which concludes Monday, is an opportunity to enhance cooperation on key challenges, bridge gaps in global governance, and reaffirm existing commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Charter.The summit's sessions focus on five main themes, including sustainable development and financing, peace and security, a digital future for all, youth and future generations, and global governance, in addition to human rights, gender equality, and the climate crisis.The summit is scheduled to conclude with the issuance of the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations, after being adopted by the participating countries.