SYMPOSIUM TO CHART ROADMAP TO ENHANCE LEGAL PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN - AZALINA

KOTA TINGGI, April 27 (Bernama) -- The government is poised to establish a roadmap aimed at enhancing legal protection for children nationwide, irrespective of citizenship status.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated that the roadmap is expected to be outlined at the International Symposium on Empowerment of Children’s Commission: Strengthening Rights and Safeguarding Futures, scheduled for Monday.

The two-day symposium will be held at the Asia International Arbitration Centre auditorium, Bangunan Sulaiman in Kuala Lumpur.

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"There will be experts from abroad who have established child commissioner offices. We will assess their methods and the challenges they face (in child protection issues). 

"Although we already have the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), we need specialisation. Through this symposium, it is hoped that we will be able to develop a roadmap to provide greater legal protection to all children in our country, both Malaysian and non-citizen," she told reporters at the Pengerang parliamentary Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house last night.

She said the symposium is jointly organised with the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department, UNICEF Malaysia, the European Union Delegation to Malaysia, as well as Suhakam, featuring speakers from various countries and will be attended by former former Chair of the UN on the Rights of the Child, Dr. Mikiko Otani.

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-- BERNAMA