RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will attend the Third Arab Regional Conference on Child Protection, which is aimed to develop ways of preventing child abuse in Middle East countries, next March.
The four-day conference has been organized by the Kingdom’s National Family Safety Program and the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Princess Seeta bint Abdul Aziz, president of the program, said the Kingdom is tackling the issue of violence against women and children in all possible ways.
She said King Abdullah’s decision to host the conference in Riyadh is a sign of the Kingdom’s commitment to tackle the problem.
Princess Adilah bint Abdullah, deputy president of the program, said different kinds of abuse in various Arab countries would be highlighted at the conference.
She added that the event would be a platform for the Middle East countries to learn from each other’s experiences.
“Knowing the reasons why some children are abused will help overcome this problem. Prevention of abuse and neglect is crucial. We will try to find some strategies to protect children,” she said, adding, “Collecting information about abused children in the Arab world is important in finding solutions.” Speakers from several countries are expected to attend.
Participants will share experience and develop strategies by discussing studies conducted in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
There are no accurate figures about abused children and women in the Kingdom. The local media has, however, taken a pivotal role in discussing the issue. The National Family Safety Program, which was founded following a royal decree in November 2005, has held several meetings to highlight the problem.
