Arab League lobbies for protecting Gaza children

The Arab League on Sunday started lobbying for the implementation of the international conventions and laws relating to the protection of children at times of armed conflicts in Gaza Strip.
"The move aims to reach practical means for enforcing these legal instruments in Gaza following the brutal Israeli military onslaught on the territory," said the director of the League's deptartment on woman, family and child affairs, Inas Mekkawi.
She made the press remarks on the sidelines of the meeting of the Arab media observatory of child rights.
"The League's Secretary-General Dr. Nabil Al-Araby has held contacts with the leaders of international competent organizations with a view to incriminating any violation of the children rights in the Strip," Mekkawi disclosed.
The League is also coordinating the delivery of aid, including food relief, for the Gazan children in particular. It also works to defend Palestinian children to organize a conference on this issue at the League's HQ here this September, she went on.
In October, Sharjah city, the UAE, will be hosting the first regional conference on the protection of children in conflict zones. In addition, the city will host a conference on the protection of child refugees which will be attended by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, the League chief Dr. Al-Araby, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres.
The two conferences will be held in collaboration with Sharjah Ruler Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, she noted.
Regarding the meeting of the Arab media observatory of child rights, Mekkawi said it debated an integrated study on the role of media in shedding light on the rights and issues of children and preventing any violations of their rights.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Arab council for childhood and development, also discussed the guidelines, criterions and professional ethics relating to the media discourse on child issues, she added.