Qatar expresses concern over children’s plight in conflict areas

Qatar has expressed deep concern over abuses suffered by children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Syria, stressing that their suffering will continue if the international community is not been able to resolve this conflict.Qatar also demanded the Security Council to make the protection of children a priority.This came in a statement of Qatar to the UN Security Council open debate on “Children and Armed Conflict”, delivered by Acting Charge D’affaires of Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the UN Ghanim bin Abdulrahman al-Hudaifi.Ghanim bin Abdulrahman al-Hudaifi began the statement by thanking the president of the Security Council for convening this meeting to discuss this important issue that affects the weakest segment of society, expressing Qatar’s appreciation of his efforts as chairman of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.He said that despite the obligations imposed by the international humanitarian law on parties to protect civilians during armed conflicts, children are still paying the highest price because they are the most vulnerable segment of society and they are unable to protect themselves.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 conflict shall provide them with the care and aid they require, whether because of their age or for any other reason.Ghanim bin Abdulrahman al-Hudaifi added that Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which was endorsed by almost all countries in the world, emphasised the protection of children affected by armed conflict.Al-Hudaifi said Qatar has paid a great attention to the issue of ensuring education for children in times of crisis, adding that this is embodied by establishing the “Education Above All Foundation” which aims to provide educational opportunities to communities stricken by poverty or crisis.He also praised the “Educate A Child” initiative, carried out in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which aims to provide education for children and empower them in conflict zones.