SAMARKAND: The Sultanate of Oman concluded its participation in the 'Global Summit on Investing in Children's Wellbeing: A Path to Sustainable and Equitable Development for Future Generations,' hosted by the city of Samarkand in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The two-day summit featured the participation of officials, experts, and representatives of international organisations to discuss ways to enhance investment in childhood and develop policies and programmes capable of ensuring the wellbeing of children and protecting their rights.
Sayyidah Maani bint Abdullah al Busaidi, Director-General of Family Development at the Ministry of Social Development, affirmed that Oman's participation in the summit embodies its interest in continuing to enhance children's rights and developing an integrated system for their protection, care, and capacity development, thereby ensuring their fundamental rights and supporting their growth in a safe and stable environment.
She clarified, in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), that the Samarkand Declaration emphasises the importance of investing in children as a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development. It also underscores the necessity of integrating social protection, child protection, health, and education systems, as well as enhancing the role of the family and providing it with the necessary support. This ensures achieving the best interests of the child and provides them with equitable opportunities for growth, learning, and active participation in society.
She added that Oman continues its efforts in developing childhood services by enhancing child protection mechanisms and expanding early childhood development services through integrated centres that combine care, education, health and rehabilitation.
The second day of the summit witnessed the holding of working sessions that addressed a number of main themes related to children's health and education.
The first session discussed investing in equitable and sustainable health systems for children to achieve tangible results across various stages of their lives, while the second session focused on investing in early childhood as a foundation for quality and inclusive lifelong learning.
The programme also included parallel sessions that addressed evidence related to children's wellbeing and the role of research, learning, and partnerships in shaping policies directed toward future generations. It also covered investing in a just green transition and nutritional medicine as a modern approach to investing in children's health, alongside enhancing investment in early childhood to ensure quality and inclusive education across various educational stages.
The summit's programme also included field visits for the participating delegations, among them the ministerial delegation's visit to the Regional Center for Social Services in Samarkand, which provides specialised social services including rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and exercise therapy.
In a related context, Ziroat Mirziyoyeva, Wife of the Uzbek President, was awarded a prestigious honorary prize in appreciation of her efforts in developing the medical care system for children with oncological diseases and enhancing every child's right to receive the necessary healthcare and enjoy a healthy life. — ONA
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