Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 12/11/2013
The 4th Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers In-charge of Childhood was held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan on 11th and 12th 2013 under the theme, “Children and the Challenges of Urbanization in the Islamic World”. The statement of His Excellency Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was read out in the inaugural session of the conference. In his statement, the OIC Secretary underscored the urgent need to address the challenges and difficulties faced by children in the rapid urbanization process that is currently underway. In this context, he called for collective commitment and action of the OIC Member States in cooperation with relevant OIC institutions to protect the children particularly those underprivileged. The statement of the Secretary General was well received by the participant delegations. This session of the conference that was held by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Educational Organization (ISESCO) in coordination with the OIC General Secretariat under the patronage of H. E. Ilham Heydaroglu Alieyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, took stock of the progress made by the OIC Member States in the area of childhood and took some decisions on major issues related to children particularly the issue of the challenges emerging from the urbanization process in the Muslim world as well the pre-school education and experiences of some Member States in this regard.
