Final Statement of the Webinar Conference on COVID-19 Pandemic and Child Rights: from Crisis to Opportunity under the auspices of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal, the President of the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD)

Keeping up with the World Children’s Day that is celebrated each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare, under the goal of creating a safe world so all children would be able to fulfill their aspirations;

Realizing that this occasion comes this year 2020 while the world is groaning from the largest humanitarian crisis at all levels due to COVID-19 pandemic, which is causing multiple economic, social, psychological and educational repercussions by which the children are the first to be affected;

In an effort to shed light on the effects of Covid-19 on child rights, while working to transform the pandemic from a crisis to a real opportunity towards a better change, and to rebuild the post-Corona world for a more inclusive and sustainable world;

In continuation with ACCD efforts to spread awareness and knowledge, as well as to promote partnerships, cooperation and support, in order to overcome this crisis and its repercussions;

This Conference “COVID-19 Pandemic and the Child Rights: From Crisis to Opportunity” has been held under the auspices of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud, ACCD President, on November 16, 2020.

The Conference was inaugurated by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, with a speech that called on all those concerned with the issues of childhood and development to act and cooperate collectively, in order to recover from this crisis and save the upcoming future in all aspects, as well as to create a more just, inclusive, sustainable, creative and environmentally friendly world, so our children would enjoy health, protection and development.

As well, H.E. Mr. Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Regional Director for North Africa and the Middle East, also delivered a speech during the opening session of the Conference. The sessions of the Conference reviewed the experiences and efforts of ten national, regional and international organizations, as well as scientific papers, with the participation of more than 100 representatives of regional and international organizations, relevant NGOs, experts and the media.

The participants in the Conference have appreciated ACCD’s efforts under the auspices of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal, and have praised his highness speech, especially the call for the G20 Summit, in its 15th Session, to pay attention to the issue of childhood and make it a top priority in the coming stage as it impacts the future, and to be a true opportunity to open new perspectives that come up with initiatives and outputs that fulfill the aspirations of all. The participants have recommended the following:

1- Calling upon governments, civil and private sectors, and donors to exert all efforts to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and to provide care and supplies to protect children.
2- Promoting the institutional and legislative frameworks in terms of national laws, regulations and institutional frameworks.
3-Protection against economic, social and psychological pressures, through reforming labor market policies and social protection policies, as well as the access to basic services, including education and social care for marginalized and vulnerable groups, including children, especially in the circumstances of (wars – residential care – displacement – detention – violence and exploitation – asylum – the worst forms of labor… etc.) .
4- Exerting all efforts to return children to education on a regular basis, while taking the necessary preventive measures. In all cases, efforts should be exerted to develop capacities in order to promote the technological infrastructure, to revive the educational process and promote the use of modern technologies such as virtual reality in education.
5- Emphasizing the importance of providing funding and support for scientific research to confront the emerging COVID-19, and regional and international cooperation in scientific areas to serve humanity.
6- Calling on psychologists and sociologists to conduct more researches and studies on the post-COVID-19 world and the repercussions on children in the future.