Sharjah 24: The Child Rights and Activities Committees of the Arab Parliament for the Child (APC) held two separate meetings at the Parliament's headquarters in Sharjah, on the sidelines of the third session of the fourth term. This reflects the standing committees' commitment to activating their roles and discussing topics included in their work plans, thereby strengthening the Parliament's presence as an Arab body concerned with children's issues and empowering children to exercise their parliamentary roles with a spirit of responsibility and initiative.
Community participation
The Child Rights Committee held its meeting, chaired by member Rabia Ibrahim Abu Rumman, with the participation of committee members. The meeting was dedicated to discussing the topic of "The Child's Right to Community Participation," considered one of the fundamental rights enshrined in international conventions and agreements on children's rights. During the meeting, members discussed the importance of empowering children to express their opinions and contribute to issues affecting their lives, schools, and communities. They emphasised that community participation is a fundamental pillar in building a child's character, enhancing their self-confidence, and developing their sense of responsibility.
The committee also reviewed several visions and initiatives that could contribute to activating this right in practice, whether through educational institutions or community initiatives. They stressed APC role in raising awareness of the culture of participation and establishing it as an integral value in Arab societies.
Organising an array of activities
In the same context, the Activities Committee held its meeting, chaired by member Nasser Al-Husseini and attended by committee members. They discussed proposals for developing the activities of the Arab Children's Parliament in general, as well as mechanisms for improving the committee's programmes and diversifying its initiatives to align with members' aspirations and enhance the impact of activities in developing their leadership and parliamentary skills.
The meeting saw the presentation of a range of ideas focused on organising high-quality events, interactive workshops, and training programmes that contribute to developing dialogue skills, initiative-making, and teamwork among child parliamentarians. Emphasis was placed on the importance of keeping activities up-to-date and leveraging modern technologies to broaden participation and interaction.
Exercising parliamentary roles
His Excellency Ayman Othman Al-Barout, Secretary-General of APC, stated on this occasion that committee meetings represent a pivotal stage in the Parliament's work, as they allow members to practically exercise their parliamentary roles through dialogue, discussion, and the formulation of proposals. He noted that discussing the child's right to community participation reflects the members' awareness of the importance of their role in their societies, while proposals to develop activities embody their commitment to enhancing the Parliament's performance and strengthening its impact across the Arab world.
Al-Barout added that the Parliament's General Secretariat continues to fully support the work of the committees and empower members to perform their duties in line with the Parliament's vision of preparing a generation aware of its rights, proud of its identity, and capable of contributing positively to the development of its society and the future of its nation.
For an optimal experience, please
