MoH, Zain launches hotline to report violence against children

KUWAIT, Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, launched on Wednesday the national awareness campaign in collaboration with (Zain), hotline (147) to report violence against any child under 18, coinciding with the World Day of Child Helplines. Dr. Al-Awadhi said in his speech during the inauguration ceremony at Zain's headquarters that addressing violence, mistreatment, and neglect of children was top priority for the ministry. He added that through the Higher Committee for Child Protection, established in 2013 by Ministerial Decree No. 116, the ministry laid down the foundations, plans, and necessary measurement to protect children from mistreatment and neglect in Kuwait. He also mentioned the formation of teams to protect children, these teams were formed in each health area and public hospital, consisting of doctors, nurses, and social workers. Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized the ministry's role, by enhancing the healthcare system's capabilities within various national multi-sectoral strategies to ensure prev ention, combat violence, and provide services to victims. The ministry and Zain established the hotline "Child Helpline 147" to receive reports related to children, provide advice, and offer psychological guidance to children and their families since 2016. On his part, Vice Chairman and CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi, valued the longstanding partnership between Zain and the ministry, resulted in providing many contributions and programs aimed at assisting wide spectrum of society. Al-Kharafi also said that Zain was working on a project to directly help abused children, and partnered with Child Helpline International to expand its support, as it aligns with its high ranking in the Child Rights and Business Forum's assessment, positioning Zain as a leader in this area. Zain considered online child safety crucial, with over 30 percent of internet users being children, the company's commitment to address the UN's goal to end all forms of violence against children by 2030. Also, Zain partnered with UNICEF to promote c hildren's rights and safety in the region, focusing on educating children about online risks, "Internet Monsters" campaign was launched to raise awareness about online dangers and promote intellectual awareness among children, advocating to end all forms of violence against them. Head of the Child Protection Office at the Ministry Dr. Mona Al-Khawari, presented the idea of establishing a child helpline in collaboration with Zain, through training services on communication and interaction for the team responsible for receiving calls. Source: Kuwait News Agency