Samarkand, October 21 (QNA) - The State of Qatar, through the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF), is participating in the World Summit on Investing in Children's Well-being, which started in the Republic of Uzbekistan on Wednesday.

Held under the theme "Investing in Children's Well-being: A Path Towards Sustainable and Equitable Development for Future Generations", the summit will run for two days.

Representing the State of Qatar is HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, alongside several high-ranking officials and representatives of governments, international organizations, and institutions concerned with childhood and social development.

The State of Qatar's participation reflects its commitment to strengthening international cooperation and sharing expertise and experiences in child protection and care, supporting efforts to develop social policies and programs that promote child well-being, and ensuring that children have equitable opportunities in care, education, health, and social protection, thereby improving their quality of life and supporting their upbringing in a secure and stable environment.

The summit has discussed an array of key issues related to investing in children's well-being, strengthening child-sensitive social protection systems, early childhood development, and developing policies and financing mechanisms that support social care services, in addition to exploring ways to strengthen international partnerships and expand initiatives targeting the most vulnerable groups.

The event has also underscored the importance of investing in a child's early years as one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable human development through supporting early education programs, bolstering health and social care services, and developing child protection systems, thus ensuring equitable opportunities for growth and development for all children.

  The summit features panel discussions and high-level deliberations addressing international experiences and best practices in social investment targeting children, mechanisms for bolstering integration among government sectors, international institutions, and civil society, as well as a review of innovative initiatives that contribute to improving the quality of services provided to children and their families.

The summit is also taking place alongside the Second International Conference on Childhood Cancer, which aims to strengthen international cooperation in combating childhood cancer.

The MSDF's participation underscores the State of Qatar’s commitment to children’s and family issues and its keenness to support international initiatives aimed at promoting children’s well-being and protecting their rights, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030, and Qatar National Vision 2030, which places human and social development at the forefront of its priorities.

On the sidelines of the summit, HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi met with HE Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Director of the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) Mansurbek Olloyorov.

Both sides discussed aspects of cooperation in social action and family affairs and exchanged perspectives on avenues for enhancing cooperation between the two countries in these fields. (QNA)