Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC), in partnership with UNICEF Maldives, has held a one-day Stakeholder Conference, to recognize and address the situation of children residing in shelters in the Maldives. The Minister for Legal Affairs of the President’s Office, Uza. Aishath Azima Shakoor was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of the conference held this morning at Kurumba Maldives.
Managerial staff of Kudakudhinge Hiya, Amaan Hiya and Fiyavathi were among the participants of this conference, in addition to representatives from the President’s Office, Ministry of Gender and Family, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education, UNICEF, the Juvenile Justice Unit, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, the Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defense Force.
This is the second Shelter Conference organized by ARC, the first of which was held in 2012. The conference provided a platform for an open and constructive discussion on the opportunities that could be available for the shelters, as well as challenges and possible solutions for the key issues faced by children under State care. In this regard, the conference was formatted under five thematic main areas: “Placement and Relocation,” “Health and Wellbeing,” “Safety and Protection,” “Access to Education” and “Reintegration to Society”.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Conference, ARC’s Acting Executive Director Ms. Zeena Zahid drew attention to the plight of children in shelters who struggle every day to fulfill certain basic needs that other children take for granted. She also expressed ARC’s hope that this conference will produce practical solutions for several challenges and constraints faced by the children’s shelters and called on all concerned authorities and individuals alike to fulfill their duty to the most vulnerable members of our society.
ARC’s work with shelters is driven by the purpose of helping children in alternative homes receive the care and support that they need and deserve, to grow up happy and reach their true potential. Since its inception in 2009, ARC organizes a variety of capacity building trainings for the careworkers, as well as educational, fun and recreational programmes for the children. ARC looks forward to continue working closely with Stakeholders and the community to help make a difference in the lives of children in need.