Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi and other dignitaries during the DIFI International Conference 2018, yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
DOHA: The Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), started its international conference entitled ‘Parenting, Child Wellbeing and Development’ yesterday.
Held under the patronage of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, in the presence of Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs,
H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, and in partnership with Unicef, the conference has brought together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and experts from around the world.
The agenda focuses on the importance of investing in parents and parenting strategies — in the form of programmes, laws, and policies at all levels — while identifying the different approaches adopted by governments around the world to achieve these aims.
In his keynote speech, the Minister said: “Children are the foundation of sustainable human development, and the investment in their care and development is an investment in the present and future of nations.
“Qatar places great value on the child’s wellbeing, through financial, health, and educational means, and has worked to improve childhood projects, qualitatively and quantitatively, following the directives of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to protect all the rights of children.”
The Minister stressed the Ministry is working on implementing the social protection strategy, which aims to provide a comprehensive and integrated vision. He praised the role played by the Dreama Orphans Care Center in this field at the regional and international level. He also praised the success of Education Above All Foundation, a global initiative founded by H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in 2012 to enroll 10 million children in education around the world.
Noor Al Malki Al Jehani, Executive Director of DIFI, said: “Our choice of ‘Parental Education’ as the theme reflects our commitment to pursuing efforts to address family issues that align with national, regional, and global interests.”
Geert Cappelaere, Regional Director, Unicef Mena Regional Office, said: “On behalf of Unicef, I would like to congratulate the State of Qatar for this unprecedented initiative. Parenting capabilities, and the capacity to provide children with care, are not traits people are born with. Such traits are learned over time, through exposure to one’s surroundings, and can be instilled in parents over time.”
