Religious leaders’ Role in Children’s Wellbeing [Archives:2007/1065/Local News]

SANA'A, July 3 ) Responding to UNICEF Country Representative, Aboudou Karimou Adjibade's keenness to take the existing partnership with religious leaders and imams to a higher level, Minister for Endowment and Guidance Hamoud Bin Abdulhamid Al-Hitar offered unequivocal support for the well-being of children.

This support boosted UNICEF's ambition to muster enhanced support of religious leaders and Ministry of Endowment. Judge Al-Hitar said his Ministry is “equally eager to bolster this partnership” as “Islam enjoins upon us the responsibility to take care, development and protection as a duty towards children”.

The Ministry of Endowment and Guidance already works closely with UNICEF in the key areas of promotion of behavioral change for better health, education, protection of children from abuse, neglect and violence and awareness creation against HIV/AIDS. The new Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP 2007-2011)carries an important component for mobilizing the support of religious leaders and imams to help realize the rights of the child. UNICEF Representative called on the Minister for Endowment and Guidance to brief him on the UNICEF Country Programme and the vital need for getting the “most influential leaders” on board to bring about a positive behavioral change for ensuring the best interests of the child.

The religious leaders are highly regarded and most influential in the community and their voice of support can foster a behavioral change in a sustainable manner, UNICEF Representative emphasized.

As a consequence, Judge Al-Hitar pledged his Ministry's increased support and said “Islam underscores the care, development and protection of children and urges parents to be responsible for their children”. Senior officials of Ministry of Endowment and Guidance also attended the meeting and provided a succinct summary of the growing partnership with UNICEF. The UNICEF Representative presented a set of UNICEF publications including “Child Care in UNICEF”)A UNICEF supported publication that draws on the Islamic injunctions to support the survival, development of children.
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