Doha, 29 July 2022 (TDI): Qatar Fund for Development and the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (OSRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), Virginia Gamba, has signed a $1 million agreement.

Under the agreement, Qatar will support the extra-budgetary resources from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, the funding will also support the Office’s resources.

Moreover, Qatar has also supported the establishment and funding of the Analysis and Outreach Hub of OSRSG in Doha. The hub is created to build the capacity to end and prevent grave violations against children in armed conflicts.

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The Director General of the Qatar Fund, Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Kuwari signed the agreement with Virginia Gamba on Thursday. Al-Kuwari said, “Human rights, peace, and development are the top of QFD’s priorities.”

In addition, the Director said, “these priorities are in line with its vision to achieve peace and justice and empower all groups in society, including children, and prepare them to be active members of the society.”

For her part, Virginia Gamba added, “the protection of conflict-affected children remains a central pillar of the human rights, peace and security, peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian agendas.”

Additionally, the Secretary-General reminded, “children must remain at the heart of our efforts to build peaceful and prosperous societies.”

Children in War

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 1996 created the OSRSG CAAC. Its mandate is to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflict and to raise awareness.

Furthermore, the mandate was created by the General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/51/77) following the publication of a report in 1996. The report was by Graca Machel titled “Impact of Armed Conflict on Children.”

Additionally, it also promotes the collection of information about the plight of children affected by war. Moreover, this $1 million agreement is the second cooperation between QFD and OSRSC CAAC.

The two organizations signed a funding agreement for the Center for the Promotion and Protection of Children Affected by Armed Conflict. The funding agreement comes on the sideline of the 2019 Doha Forum.

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