(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Children highlighted their rights and need to be protected from violence during activities organised in various public places in Doha to celebrate Universal Children's Day. The events, which lasted three days and concluded yesterday, were organised by Qatar Foundation for Social Protection and Rehabilitation (QFSPR).
The activities held yesterday included plays, painting and competitions in Ezdan Mall that created an evening filled with fun and learning for the participating children.
Among the plays performed was "Children's rights" in which children reiterated their right to go to school, to play, to be loved and to have a healthy life.
"It is easier to pass on important information pertaining to children's rights through plays and dramas like this," said Amna Al Mahmoudi, the programme coordinator from QFSR.
"Children, unlike adults, will not attend sessions and cannot follow presentations, but once you wrap the information in plays and drama everyone will take it."
She said that in three days the foundation had managed to reach a large number of children and their parents all over the country through activities like plays, painting and distribution of gifts.
At Villaggio and Landmark malls the foundation handed out 1,000 gifts every day to children and volunteers who helped in the programme.
"If you want to protect children's rights, you have to involve several parties, including their parents, teachers and the whole society. The programmes for this year included awareness sessions targeting parents and the public on how to protect children's rights," Al Mahmoudi said.
Universal Children's Day is celebrated in many countries on November 20. The day is dedicated to the celebration of children and to raising awareness about the abuse, exploitation and discrimination children experience across the world. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child by the United Nations, in which children's health, political, economic and social rights were outlined in 1989.
Ashraf Ridhwan, the programme specialist, said the drama programme highlighted the children's right to health, education and protection from violence.
"We mainly targeted children's participation and arranged things based on the children's decisions," he said.
"The foundation would do everything possible to protect and promote children's rights to survive and thrive, to learn and grow, to make their voices heard and to reach their full potential."
A mother who identified herself as Asma had brought her two children, aged three and five, to participate in the children's activities and interact with other children.
She said she was happy to see her children paint and learn something from other children.
"We as parents can make children's lives better," she said. "Our commitment should be not only to our children but all children."
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