Launching an initiative to strengthen prevention systems for children and protect them from substance abuse at the Population Conference
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, launched the “Strengthening Prevention Systems for Children” initiative. (CHAMPS), as this initiative aims to enhance the ability of children and protect them from substance abuse from birth to adolescence, and to build a healthier future for them and the youth.
This initiative was announced during the activities of the second edition of the World Conference on Population and Health Development 2024, which will be held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, from October 21 to 25, under the slogan “Human Development for a Sustainable Future,” in the presence of Dr. Amr Othman, Director of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, representatives of government and civil society agencies, and experts from The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and a number of leaders from the Ministries of Health and Social Solidarity, in addition to a number of concerned authorities.
The Deputy Prime Minister praised the efforts of all those working in implementing this initiative, stressing its importance in providing a healthy and informed future for children. Egypt, as they are the builders of the future.
He explained that countries are making progress in raising generations capable of active participation in society, through developing mental, health, and psychological skills. He also valued the initiative, noting that it has great importance in promoting… The ability of children to protect and educate them from using narcotic substances, and to face the challenges they face during their stages of development.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the Egyptian state pays great attention to children’s health, developing their skills, and raising their abilities. He also pointed out the importance of continuous coordination and work. He joined forces with the relevant ministries, civil society institutions, and other partner entities to make this initiative a success, and to provide a healthy life for all of Egypt’s children, stressing that this initiative comes within the framework of interest in the comprehensive development of the Egyptian person, stressing the importance of pre-school education to ensure that the child has conscious mental skills.
He added that investing in children from a young age contributes to building a personality capable of making sound life decisions, and that the political leadership is keen to provide psychological protection for all Egyptian children, and this initiative comes in line with the goals of the presidential initiative “A New Beginning for Human Building.” “Al-Masry”, which aims to invest in human capital to achieve sustainable development.
For her part, Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity, welcomed Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, and congratulated him on Egypt obtaining international certification that it is free of malaria from the organization The World Health Organization congratulated him on the launch of the second edition of the conference, and explained that the initiative focuses on strengthening prevention systems for children from birth to 18 years of age, to confront the problems of drugs and violence, which are global issues that threaten societal peace.
Morsi stressed: Egypt is the first country in the world to officially announce and implement this international initiative, which in its first phase includes ten leading countries, which reflects Egypt’s pivotal role in this field. It also indicated the necessity of achieving sustainability for this initiative by including it as an essential part of the national strategy to combat drugs.
Morsi explained: The largest preventive program has been implemented in more than 10,000 schools during the current academic year, with a focus on training volunteers on the latest preventive programs.
Ghada Waly, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Office, stressed that The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime stressed the importance of the Egyptian experience in treating addiction and combating drugs, especially in recent years, and welcomed Egypt’s participation in the “CHAMPS” initiative, considering that this cooperation reflects the close partnership between Egypt and the Office in confronting the challenges related to drugs, as the youth category is considered Children are most vulnerable to the risks of addiction.
She also stressed the need for concerted efforts to confront the increasing risks, noting that adolescence is one of the most dangerous stages of life that may lead to abuse and the harms associated with it.
