Doha: Qatar has stressed the importance of dialogue, mediation, and humanitarian diplomacy in ensuring conflict-hit children can access essential aid and services. Speaking at the opening of a workshop in Doha, HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Dr. Maryam bint Ali Al Misnad highlighted Qatar's commitment to making these elements key pillars of its foreign policy and international efforts.
According to Qatar News Agency, the workshop brought together policymakers, diplomats, humanitarian leaders, mediators, legal experts, practitioners, and academics to discuss practical ways of improving child-sensitive humanitarian access in conflicts and crises. HE Al Misnad emphasized that mediation experiences have shown the importance of keeping communication channels open, even in difficult circumstances, to protect civilians and streamline humanitarian work.
She noted that the protection of children could serve as common ground for dialogue, stressing that ensuring children's access to food, healthcare, and education is a humanitarian responsibility that should remain above political considerations. The minister warned about the growing trend of restrictions on humanitarian operations, obstruction of aid, and attacks on humanitarian and medical workers and facilities, which have become part of broader political and security challenges affecting civilian protection in contemporary conflicts.
Dr. Al Misnad highlighted the particular vulnerability of children to disruptions in essential services like food, water, healthcare, education, and protection, pointing out that even short delays in accessing these services could lead to long-term psychological and health consequences. She called for children's needs to be an integral part of discussions and negotiations on humanitarian access, rather than being addressed only after agreements or humanitarian arrangements are reached.