The Maldives is hosting the Regional Consultation of Child Rights Institutions of South Asia.
The first-ever Regional Consultation Conference for Child Rights Institutions of South Asia in the Maldives is being hosted by the Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The two-day conference was inaugurated by First Lady Fazna Ahmed and aims to examine children's rights status, share experiences, and enhance the expertise of organisations in the region.
This conference brings together key institutions from seven South Asian countries which include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. During the conference, members of various institutions will share their experiences and good practices while working for children’s rights in their countries. The conference also provides a platform to discuss avenues for collaboration between institutions and participating in training institutions at the regional level.
Also at the conference, each country will present its paper based on its efforts to protect children’s rights, current progress in cross-regional collaboration, and potential future areas of regional collaboration. A paper will be presented by the children participating in the conference, presenting their valuable perspectives and opinions on matters relating to children’s rights and highlighting the importance of including their views in decision-making.
The conference will conclude with the development of a Joint Action Plan for independent institutions working on children's rights in the South Asian region. The plan will include a timeline of activities at the regional level and a report will be prepared based on the papers and presentations from participating countries.