KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is welcomed as he arrives in the Italian capital Rome yesterday. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait hosts today a conference on the suffering of the Palestinian children amid violations by Israel, the occupation power, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with broad high profile Arab participation. The Arab Council of Ministers of Social Affairs and Labor will hold their 37th session on the sidelines of the two-day event. Kuwait will preside over the ministerial meeting.

The conference's four sessions will address reality of the Palestinian children under International Law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the role of the society and civil organizations for boosting the rights of the Palestinian children; the deteriorating educational, health and psychological conditions of the Palestinian children detained in Israel's prisons; and the legal protection of the Palestinian children under the Israeli occupation, and setting mechanisms to activate it.

Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmad Abnul-Gheit will attend the conference, together with the Arab ministers of social affairs and labor, and representatives of government agencies concerned about childhood. The event is held thanks to joint efforts of Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and the Arab League's Secretariat, and will be attended by Arab and international prominent advocates of child rights.

Major goal

The major goal of the conference is to shed light on the points of weakness and the obstacles that do not allow the creation and promoting of a better reality for the Palestinian children, as well as designing the necessary mechanisms to bridge that gap through partnerships with experts and the relevant Arab organizations.

Kuwait has been well known with its firm stance in support of the Palestinian people, as well as working hard to help them recover their rights and self-determination, Chairman of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) Dr Abdullah Almaatouq said. The country has been, and still is, a pioneer in providing all forms of humanitarian support to the "Palestinian brothers" and backing their cause on the international scene, he added.

Today's conference that aims to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian children constitutes a new initiative to be added to many others in Kuwait's copious humanitarian record and relief campaigns through history to back the Palestinian cause, with Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque at the core of this, Almaatouq noted.  His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has always reaffirmed Kuwait's unwavering stance in support of the Palestinian cause and people, stressing the necessity of enforcing the international resolutions to commit Israel to bring to a halt its aggressive policies and flagrant violations of the relevant international laws, he said Almaatouq lauded the honorable act of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem at the recent 137th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.

Ghanem exposed the Israeli practices and violations against the Palestinian people, which run contrary to international laws and norms, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Neither the Kuwaiti official nor the popular agencies have spared the least effort to help the Palestinian people, the IICO chairman said.

The Kuwaiti relief societies have placed Palestine as a top priority on their charity programs, including the IICO which encourages humanitarian initiatives to lessen the suffering of the Palestinian people and provide their basic needs.  The IICO has launched a solidarity campaign with Palestinians in Al-Quds supporting programs to protect sanctities and heritage, and in the meantime, including development and production programs, Almaatouq said.

'Ewaa' project

In addition, the organization has also launched the 'Ewaa' (shelter) project to rebuild homes damaged in Gaza and Jerusalem, for more dignified living conditions for the Palestinian families. According to the IICO chief, health and medical projects in the Palestinian territories have been a priority on the organization's agenda.

The Kuwait specialized hospital for Diagnostic Radiology in Gaza is a major project serving more than 250,000 people. There is also the cancer center in Nablus. The IICO has provided several clinics and health centers with modern medical equipment and medications.

The IICO's support has also been extended to mosques, schools and universities, water desalination and land reclamation. Moreover, it has established a fund for Palestinian community development with $1.200 million. Kuwait's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Al-Jarallah had announced at the opening of the 148th Session of the Arab League Council on September 12 that Kuwait would host an international conference on the suffering of Palestinian children amid the Israeli violations of their rights.

Positive outcomes

Meanwhile, Palestinian Ambassador Rami Tahboub said Kuwait is keen to make positive outcomes through hosting the 'Suffering of the Palestinian Child' conference.  Kuwait constantly aims to achieve effective positive results through the events it hosts, reflecting the country's significant status and value on regional and international levels, Tahboub said. "We realize Palestine's importance and value inside the Kuwaiti people's hearts in general, and to the Kuwaiti government in particular," he said, hoping the conference produces high-level results.

The Kuwaiti government performs its duties to the fullest through careful preparations and arrangements of every conference the country hosts, said the Palestinian diplomat.  There are workers in ministries of social affairs and labor, foreign, and Amiri Diwan who work around the clock to contribute to the conference's success and efforts toward attaining best results, said Tahboub.

Meanwhile, he said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to Kuwait is part of answering the invitation of the 'Humanitarian Leader' His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to inaugurate the two-day conference. Abbas is scheduled to hold official talks with His Highness the Amir following the event's opening session, Tahboub mentioned, adding that the Palestinian president will also hold political talks with a number of senior officials. - KUNA