Muscat: The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), held a series of bilateral meetings and a joint workshop involving various sectors concerned with child protection. This is part of the preparation for the next phase of developing the child protection system in the Sultanate of Oman, by moving towards enhancing the automation of inter-sectoral referral pathways.
This step is a continuation of a series of achievements realized this year. Last June, the ministry and UNICEF launched the updated version of the Child Protection Manual. Furthermore, in September, the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme was completed across Oman, followed by the organization of virtual sessions in October to ensure wide dissemination of the content.
The December workshop represents a new phase to enhance the system's effectiveness through digital tools that contribute to improving the quality of services, speed of response, and support provided to children at risk. Over the three days, bilateral meetings were held between UNICEF experts and government agencies to review the current workflow, identify areas for development, and explore opportunities for digital transformation. The program also included an extensive workshop that brought together representatives from government agencies and relevant partners.
Sayyida Maani Abdullah al Busaidi, Director-General of Family Development at the ministry, said: "The ministry continuously seeks to develop the child protection system in the Sultanate of Oman and enhance referral and case management systems to keep pace with modern changes and align with the aspirations of Oman Vision 2040."
She added: "The transition towards an integrated referral system based on automation is a qualitative step that will contribute to accelerating the response and providing more coordinated and effective support for every child in need. This reflects the Ministry's continuous keenness to enhance protection services and expand their scope, ensuring the integration of efforts and achieving the highest levels of care and protection for children."
For her part, Sumaira Chowdhury, UNICEF Representative in Oman, said: "Oman continues to demonstrate clear leadership in developing systems that support child protection. Progress toward an automated digital referral system is a pivotal step that will contribute to enhancing cross-sectoral case management. UNICEF is proud to support these digital transformation efforts within the child-related targets of Oman Vision 2040."
The outputs and recommendations resulting from the meetings and the workshop will contribute to preparing a time-bound action plan for the development of the digital platform, enhancing integration between agencies, and improving case management processes across the Sultanate of Oman.
This initiative is consistent with Oman's efforts aimed at preventing abuse, promoting child well-being, and ensuring that every child receives the protection and support they need. — ONA
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