Tackling child welfare challenges: Lebanon's authorities collaborate to ensure children's rights

The Higher Council for Childhood convened an exceptional meeting on Thursday, chaired by the Caretaker Social Affairs Minister, Hector Hajjar. The Secretary-General of the Council, Rita Karam, and representatives from various ministries, UNICEF, and non-governmental organizations concerned with child welfare attended the meeting.
 
Before the meeting commenced, Minister Hajjar stated, "In light of the recurring events, we called for this exceptional meeting to address the worsening situation affecting the rights of our children. As the Higher Council is primarily responsible for this matter, we know that some executive issues are not directly under its authority. However, following the meetings we held last week, we convene today to issue decisions to protect our children from roaming predators." 

He added, "Regarding the issue of nurseries, we have coordinated extensively with the Minister of Health. As for the incident in Tripoli concerning a child, we have promptly addressed the matter. We are working on activating control mechanisms and utilizing the available resources within our grasp. We are present and involved in the Women and Children Committee, which held a lengthy and productive meeting to implement all decisions related to nurseries directly under the Ministry of Public Health." 

He added: "We attended the meeting to closely follow the details and work in solidarity with the Ministry of Public Health. We are leaning towards enhancing control measures to make them more effective and yield better results. We discovered that regular monitoring may not be sufficient, as we need training on psychological issues, violence, and abuse, and monitoring online, with some restrictions due to child privacy concerns." 

Minister Hajjar emphasized that the meeting would explore a comprehensive national plan to protect children, encompassing media, childcare centers, and parental awareness.  

He noted that the ministry currently oversees more than 35 childcare centers across Lebanon, and they are closely examining the situation at all centers and investigating any current or past abuses against children, with the hope of strengthening control and media vigilance while bolstering the role of camps and volunteers, all aimed at child protection. 

He observed that the country's current conditions, compounded by multidimensional poverty, provide fertile ground for early marriages and children fleeing from one place to another. He also emphasized the need for a more responsible approach to managing children's lives and the importance of psychological maturity in caring for them. This requires a national awareness campaign. 

Minister Hajjar stated, "Monitoring is one of the tools, but it is not enough. This work involves both the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Public Health. Local NGOs also play a role. Thousands of children are facing problems, and as of now, we have a team of 60 specialized social workers who cannot keep up with all the demands." 

He called on NGOs to assist and contribute to raising awareness within local communities and among women and parents to address poverty and alleviate its effects. 

He concluded by stressing that the ongoing projects can only cover 10 to 15 percent of Lebanon's poor, leaving many others without sufficient funding.