GCC Prioritises Child Welfare As A Strategic Pillar For Future Societies

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi stated that Gulf Cooperation Council countries place children’s welfare at the centre of national priorities, describing Gulf Children’s Day, held each year on 15 January, as a key moment to highlight these efforts, including the full application of core school services across all GCC schools.

Albudaiwi explained that member states now provide essential educational services free of charge, such as high-speed internet access, textbooks, educational computers and school health facilities, along with buildings designed to support students with disabilities, and reported that the implementation rate for these services has reached 100 percent in every GCC member state.

He described Gulf Children’s Day as an important platform for promoting awareness of children’s rights, especially in health and education, and noted that the GCC Statistical Centre has produced simple educational booklets using Gulf-wide data to help young readers understand regional indicators and deepen feelings of shared Gulf identity.

According to Albudaiwi, GCC leaders previously instructed specialists to study how some media content affects youth and to propose ways to limit harmful influences, while the Advisory Commission of the Supreme Council has worked on programmes to develop child culture, and the Supreme Council approved the "Muscat Document on Rules for the Protection of Children during the Investigation Phase" in 2023.

Addressing rising digital openness, Albudaiwi outlined the "Digital Safety for the Gulf Child" initiative, adopted by GCC Ministers of Information, which targets children aged 5 to 18, aims to guide safer internet use, increase understanding of online risks and offer training on how to react if children face digital threats.

Albudaiwi stressed that GCC member states view children as a basic pillar of future societies and link support for younger generations with broader family policies across all demographic groups, presenting current initiatives as part of long-term efforts to strengthen children’s protection, well-being and sense of belonging within Gulf communities.

With inputs from SPA