IIMSAM official Dr. Naseer Homoud observed UN Universal Children Day

Nov. 20, 2009 - PRLog -- November 20 is Universal Children's Day - a day to promote the plight of children worldwide and commemorate all of the world's youngest citizens. Every year thousands of children are subjected to torture. Children in conflict and post-conflict areas are at particularly high risk, but also street children in the slums of large cities around the world are routinely detained and tortured and are left to fight with hunger and malnutrition. This 20 November, IIMSAM urges all states to reinforce their efforts to protect these highly vulnerable groups against torture and all other forms of ill-treatment and to ensure that every child is supplied with his most fundamental right- the right to live.

November 20 is an important international day for children. On 20 November 1954, the UN General Assembly established Universal Children's Day. Five years later, on November 20, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed on 20 November 1989 and has, so far, been ratified by 192 countries.
   
   
   
Universal Children’s Day is marked annually to promote the welfare of the world’s children and to commemorate the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention reaffirms the human rights and dignity of children (all persons under the age of 18) and specifically obliges State parties to protect children from torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

On the occasion of UN Universal Children Day, Dr. Naseer Homoud Goodwill Ambassador and Director of Middle East office for the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), the Permanent Observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council while addressing the media said “notwithstanding of this key obligation, children around the world continue to be victimized by conflict and violence, as was revealed by the report from UN Secretary General Office released in 2006 and other subsequent reports. Recruitment of child soldiers, trafficking, and detention of minors are just a few of the mechanisms through which children are exposed to torture and ill-treatment. Moreover, children of parents or other family members who have been subjected to torture suffer as secondary victims as they experience one or more of their loved-ones becoming introverted, depressed and/or aggressive”

Dr. Homoud further said “On this day, the IIMSAM urges all states to ratify and implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, as well as the UN Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol. IIMSAM also calls on all states to fully cooperate with the Committee on the Rights of the Child. With the help of these instruments states shall take all necessary measures to protect our most vulnerable citizens from torture, ill-treatment and other forms of violence and exploitation, to bring the perpetrators to justice and to grant children full reparation, in order to ensure that human rights also are children’s rights”.

Over the past year, IIMSAM teamed up on several occasions with other welfare organizations for instance in Qatar, to provide humanitarian relief to children and families in regions affected by freak weather conditions and earthquakes. Dr. Homoud while addressing the media said “ children are our assets and we have to preserve this most valuable assets- onus is on present generation to leave no stones unturned to protect childhood from unwarranted affairs.”

While addressing the gathering Dr. Homoud urged “this year, in a continuing effort to protect our children against a manmade disaster - violence against children – we have to ensure that each and every child on this world of plenty is not left with his basic amenities most importantly food”.

While advocating the efforts of IIMSAM in fighting hunger and malnutrition which is prevailing at large in children Dr. Homoud stressed that IIMSAM by spreading usage of Spirulina against fighting hunger and malnutrition is dedicated to intensify its efforts for protecting children from malnutrition and hunger. Pleading support for IIMSAM which has undertaken commendable job of protecting children from malnutrition and hunger under able and visionary guidance of His Excellency Ambassador Remigio M. Maradona Director General of the IIMSAM, Dr. Homoud said “ it is need of the hour to unite for the sake of our future generations- we cannot afford to leave our children- the assets of future- in such catastrophic situation where they are losing their battles against life”.

While concluding his address on the occasion Dr. Homoud said “today I pay special tribute to all key government and non-governmental agencies involved in supporting child abuse prevention initiatives and in providing basic amenities. As a community, however, we need to be very sensitive to the fact that these institutional efforts in protecting children are extremely important but by themselves not sufficient. Everyone must take personal responsibility for monitoring the environment for violent and abusive behavior against children and to ensure that they are being supplied with basic facilities so that they are not left with hunger and malnutrition. This is our responsibility and we must by our daily commitment promise our children to guard their right to be protected”.