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First Islamic Ministerial Conference on the Child
Ministers convene to consider urgent action on behalf of the 600 million children in the Islamic World
Who: Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director-General,
Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO);
Rima Salah, Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF;
Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General,
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC);
Government delegations representing more than 50 OIC member countries;
What: First Islamic Ministerial Conference on the Child
The conference will focus on issues specific to OIC member countries in four major areas: health and HIV/AIDS; quality education and culture; protection against abuse, exploitation and violence; and leveraging resources.
Participants will reflect on how Islamic countries have been delivering on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in making their countries "fit for children", as well as on areas of challenge, best practices and mobilizing increased cooperation among OIC member states to accelerate progress for children.
When: 7 - 9 November 2005
Where: Rabat, Morocco
La Tour Hassan, 26, Rue Chellah
Why: The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit held in Malaysia in September 2003 resulted in a renewed commitment by the OIC to children's rights and well-being. The Summit Declaration, through a resolution on “Child Care and Protection in the Islamic World”, called upon the OIC and ISESCO, in conjunction with UNICEF, to convene the First Islamic Ministerial Meeting on Children.
OIC member countries represent a unique group of states from across the Africa, Arab and Asia / Pacific sub-regions, each with varying economic, development and socio-political environments.
For more information, please contact:
Liza Barrie, UNICEF New York, (+1) 646.207.5178
lbarrie@unicef.org
Najwa Mekki, UNICEF New York, (+212) 067 207 258
nmekki@unicef.org
Anis Salem, UNICEF Middle East & North Africa, (+962)79.557.9991,
asalem@unicef.org
El Kebir Mdarhri Alaoui, UNICEF Rabat, (+212) 37.75.97.41
kmalaoui@unicef.org
Najib Rhiati, ISESCO, culture@isesco.org.ma
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UNICEF FOCUS
