Muscat: Acting in cooperation with the office of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Muscat, the Ministry of Social Development today launched Oman's "Child Protection Guide (CPG)" to enhance unified national response mechanisms. The guide's launch ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr. Laila Ahmed Al Najjar, Minister of Social Development.

According to Oman News Agency, the CPG serves as a comprehensive practical reference aimed at supporting personnel operating in the field of child protection, including social workers, teachers, and healthcare providers. It unifies concepts, simplifies referral procedures, and enhances coordination among relevant stakeholders. This ensures rapid and effective intervention deemed necessary for child protection and furnishing a safe and supportive environment for children in the Sultanate of Oman.

Sayyida Maani Abdullah Al Busaidi, Director General of Family Development at the Ministry of Social Development, stated that the CPG constitutes a strategic step towards enhancing the integration of all national efforts for the protection of children. It aims to enable national cadres to professionally respond to all cases of abuse, neglect, and child exploitation.

Dr. Bilal Al Kiswani, Program Director at UNICEF Oman, remarked, "The CPG embodies our collective commitment to take practical measures whenever children are exposed to any form of risks. It reflects the significance of partnership between UNICEF and the Government of the Sultanate of Oman in building child protection systems."

The event also featured a dialogue session titled "Next Steps and Training of Trainers Plan", conducted by Safia Abdullah Al Abri, Assistant Director of the Family Protection Department at the Ministry of Social Development. The session covered the CPG training plan, elaborated on general frameworks, basic concepts of the case management system, and training on the system's stages of implementation.