Kuwait city: Zeyad Adel Darwish, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Development, attended the 11th meeting of the Committee of Undersecretaries of Social Affairs and Development Ministries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The meeting, chaired by Dr. Khalid Amer Al Ajmi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Kuwait, saw participation from undersecretaries of all GCC member states and Khalid bin Ali bin Salim Al Sunaidi, the GCC Assistant Secretary of Economic and Development Affairs.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the committee approved several recommendations to be presented at the forthcoming ministers' meeting. These recommendations include the adoption of the Gulf Strategy for Combating Drugs for 2025 to 2028, reviewing the implementation of decisions from previous meetings, and formulating action plans for the committee. Other key areas of focus are joint volunteer work from 2026 to 2030, shared charity and humanitarian efforts from 2025 to 2030, disability rights, quality of life measures, digital inclusion for elders, and children-related issues, especially in the context of artificial intelligence.
In parallel with the meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Social Development participated in the Gulf Family Forum. They presented a working paper titled "The Family's Role in Protecting Children from Online Extortion." This paper identified key indicators for parents to detect potential online extortion threats to their children early on. It also discussed safe online practices, strategies for managing such situations, supervisory tools, and methods to strengthen parental authority.
Furthermore, the paper showcased Bahrain's initiatives in equipping families with the necessary skills to combat the risks of online extortion, emphasizing the country's proactive stance in safeguarding children in the digital age.