Workshop on Strategic Vision for Childhood in a Changing World
Cairo: April 15 – 16, 2025
Under the patronage of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President of the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD) and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), ACCD held a Workshop titled "Strategic Vision for Childhood in a Changing World" from April 15-16, 2025, at its headquarters in Cairo. The Workshop gathered 30 experts from five Arab countries, including academics, writers, thinkers, and representatives from regional and international organizations in childhood and development.
The Workshop was held based on the belief that childhood issues are a collective responsibility, and in response to the ACCD's vision of developing a new intellectual and strategic framework that aims to reposition childhood at the heart of the Arab development project. The Workshop sought to identify challenges and opportunities for improving children's conditions amidst global advancements and changes, drawing from international literature and reports, and to outline the structure of ACCD's Fifth Strategic Plan (2026-2028).
The Workshop was opened with speeches from HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud and HE Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States. Subsequent sessions featured presentations on AGFUND's vision for sustainable development by HE Dr. Nasser Alkahtani, and on ACCD's strategic development by HE Dr. Hassan Al-Bilawi.
Key Discussions and Recommendations
The Workshop featured eight scientific sessions that generated significant discussion on global trends affecting childhood, including technological shifts, environmental pressures, geopolitical instability, and evolving knowledge structures. Participants recognized that children today live in a world where AI opportunities intersect with conflict threats, and developmental promises contend with rapid global changes. Discussions also explored future challenges by analyzing international reports, progress on child-related Sustainable Development Goals, and technology in education, to inform policies and directions for 2028.
Attendees affirmed ACCD's crucial role in shaping future policies and visions supportive of childhood in the Arab world, stressing the need to deepen partnerships, expand frameworks, and build on past achievements. They expressed gratitude to HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud and ACCD for their continuous efforts and for organizing the workshop, which provided a rich platform for dialogue. They emphasized ACCD's ongoing intellectual and strategic leadership. The workshop was seen not merely as a review, but as the beginning of a new intellectual and strategic project led by ACCD to empower Arab children to actively participate in building a shared future.
The Workshop concluded with general recommendations and specific recommendations for ACCD's upcoming strategy:
- Develop a flexible strategy that serves as a general reference framework, accommodating diversity across Arab countries while allowing for national specificities and encouraging multilateral partnerships.
- Integrate enlightened principles into childhood approaches by incorporating values education, digital citizenship, and fostering belonging in programs and policies.
- Establish reliable reference databases with quantitative and qualitative indicators on childhood conditions to inform evidence-based policies.
- Advocate for "child-friendly budgets" within national policies, ensuring diversified funding and focusing on economic empowerment for children and their mothers, especially for vulnerable groups.
- Expand psychological support and care services for children, linking them with comprehensive community awareness campaigns on mental health.
- Prioritize children in conflict and crisis zones within ACCD's new strategy (2026–2028) due to their extreme vulnerability.
- Give high priority to children with disabilities, expanding special education programs and inclusive learning environments.
- Integrate digital technology into education through flexible approaches that respect cultural and social variations, while establishing an Arab system for digital child empowerment, ensuring psychological safety, privacy, and digital rights.
- Develop the new "Arab Council for Childhood and Development Award" as an intellectual and societal incentive that promotes innovation and applied research in childhood, especially in the context of digital transformation and AI.
- Continue discussions and events showcasing Arab thought leaders to support the development of ACCD's Fifth Strategic Plan (2026–2028).
Date: April 16, 2025
