Advocacy, Policies and Partnerships for Children's Rights
The programme for advocacy, policies and partnerships for children’s rights consists of three projects:
1.“The Policy and Institutional Support Project”
Past Activities (2004-2006):
As a response to the concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF supported the drafting of national strategies and plans of action for children in Qatar.
Planned Activities (2007-2009):
UNICEF will provide technical assistance, training, workshops and knowledge networking in order for the Supreme Council for Family Affairs to:
- Monitor trends in child indicators
- Advocate for children
- Complete and implement a National Plan of Action for Children, building on the process started in 2004 and continued in 2005-2006.
- Continue the process of adapting local legislation and policies with the CRC provisions as well as ensuring its implementation
- Prepare reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Plan follow-up of the Committee’s recommendations UNICEF will also provide technical assistance for Qatar to set up a separate, permanent and independent mechanism, such as a national human rights institution or an ombudsman, with the mandate to monitor and evaluate the progress of the implementation of the CRC.
2.”CRC Advocacy, Monitoring and Knowledge Base Project”
- Install DevInfo and train operators building on the experiences of the Planning Council in regard to an integrated database on the family
- Agree upon a core set of country specific indicators for child rights including those needed for reporting to the Committee on the CRC and used in the reporting of MDGs.
- Develop mechanisms for monitoring progress on these indicators,
- Carry out specific studies and surveys will be promoted in order to continuously update the Situation Analysis of Children.
- Review of the state budget from a child rights perspective
- Raise awareness among policy makers, the private sector and the civil society about child rights and its relevance to Qatar.
- Disseminating the principles and provisions of the CRC, the reports to the Committee on the CRC, and the concluding observations of the Committee.
- Build a partnership with media around child rights.
3. “Participation and Partnerships Project”
Past Activities (2004-2006):
- UNICEF GAO participated in a regional workshop held in Doha, on human rights education in the Gulf States school systems. The objectives of the workshop were developing a common understanding of human rights in school curricula, identifying mechanisms of integrating human rights in the educational system, discussing strategies of human rights education in the Arab States, identifying and developing national strategies, and facilitating cooperation among partners. The workshop concluded by encouraging the concerned bodies in Gulf countries to study and ratify the international and local (Gulf/Arab) conventions and treaties related to human rights; called for developing standards and assessing the performance of educational institutions; and asked concerned parties in GCC countries to establish a coordination mechanism, and promote the role of civil society organizations, academia, and the media in the field of human rights. Click on workshop recommendations.
Planned Activities (2007-2009):
- Advocacy for increased opportunities for both adolescent boys and girls to participate in school and community development. Participation of adolescents in national planning events and regional and sub-regional forums as well as in media will be encouraged.
- Capture lessons learned from e.g. student councils while building on regional experiences
- Media campaigns targeting parents, teachers, decision makers, etc, in order to improve their knowledge, attitudes and practices vis-à-vis adolescents.
- Advocacy for adolescent friendly legislation, policies and guidelines.
- Partnership building with existing and new partners for leveraging knowledge and resources for children within and outside Qatar.
- Awareness raising about child rights issues nationally and internationally
