Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, wrapped up the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Congress Qatar 2020 with a focus on child safety, domestic violence, and violence against children.
Professor Khalid al-Ansari, chair, Emergency Medicine, and founder of the Child Advocacy Programme, Sidra Medicine, said: "The congress was a huge success with over 400 delegates from over 35 countries coming together for this important cause. The turnout and the participation reflect the commitment of the local and global community to prevent and end Child Abuse and Neglect. I believe a key outcome of this year’s congress is the update on ways to identify cases and intervene in the most appropriate manner."
"The congress looked at practical solutions to combating child abuse and finding ways to implement these solutions within a family frame, taking into consideration religious and educational settings, psychological support, as well as online safety measures for children," he added.
During the closing ceremony, participants issued the congress recommendations for an action plan against Child Abuse and Neglect including the critical role of positive parenting as an alternative to corporal punishment.
Another key takeaway from the congress centered on a more cohesive medical care system to support victims and families based on a multidisciplinary team (MDT) concept.
The MDT approach also takes into account multi-sectorial support from all agencies including legislation, policy, procedures, and practice keeping in mind that the safety and wellbeing of the child should come first.
ISPCAN is an international non-profit organisation that unites a range of stakeholders to discuss various issues such as child protection, ending violence against children, runaway from children's homes, children's post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of ongoing conflict, and local child protection action, among others.
