ARC's Stakeholder Conference on Children's Shelters 2012 concluded today, with President Mohamed Nasheed inaugurating the Opening Ceremony of the conference this morning at Mookai Suites, Male'. The one day conference was participated by representatives from the three state-run children's shelters; Kudakudhinge Hiya in Villimale, the Education and Training Centre for Children (ETCC) in K. Maafushi and the Correctional Training Centre for Children (CTCC) in K. Feydhoo Finolhu; and relevant government bodies.
A special Signing Ceremony of Project Proposals also took place in the afternoon in attendance of Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan. In this ceremony, various individuals, businesses and groups pledged their technical and financial support for different recreational and educational programmes for the children, as well as capacity building programmes for staff, to take place in the shelters during 2012.
As envisioned, the Stakeholder Conference organised by ARC was successful in setting a platform for open dialogue between relevant institutions relating to children's shelters, and in identifying how ARC may assist in finding possible solutions for the challenges faced by the shelters. Participants of the conference agreed to work together on the issues raised during the course of the day long discussions, by compiling and presenting the main concerns to the relevant state bodies and by continuing inter-institutional coordination and sharing of best practices within the current framework.