Jeddah: The fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to complete the discussion of the draft "OIC Jeddah Convention on the Rights of the Child”.

Director General of the Department of Cultural and Family Affairs, Dr. Amina Obaid Al-Hajri, delivered a speech at the meeting, noting that the meeting is being held under difficult and harsh circumstances witnessed by the Islamic world due to the blatant and unprecedented Israeli aggression in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the heinous massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces against civilians in the Gaza Strip, which led to the martyrdom of hundreds of innocent civilians and the wounding of thousands, most of whom are children, women and the elderly. Dr. Al-Hajri renewed the condemnation of the OIC and Member States of the ongoing attacks by the brutal occupation forces, calling on the international community to expedite the provision of urgent humanitarian, medical, and relief assistance, provide water and electricity, and open safe humanitarian corridors immediately to deliver urgent assistance to the Gaza Strip.

On the other hand, Dr. Al-Hajri said that the true Islamic religion has given great attention to children's rights as they are the future of the nation and the youth of tomorrow. She also urged the adoption of the "OIC Jeddah Convention on the Rights of the Child" as an international charter that emulates international human rights instruments and is consistent with the teachings of the Islamic religion and international Statutes and Charters.

Al-Hajri expressed thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the host country, for its continuous support to the OIC. She also thanked the Republic of Cameroon, Chair of the 50th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), and the Arab Republic of Egypt, Chair of the second session of the Ministerial Conference for Social Development, for their efforts and continuous support to the OIC.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation