Prime Minister Najib Mikati, on Friday held a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence against Children, Najat Maalla M’jid, who visited him with an accompanying delegation including UN Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Najat Rushdie, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Yuki Mukio, and Child Protection Officer, Cecilia Anikama.

In the wake of the meeting, M’jid described her first visit to Mikati — in her capacity as the representative of the UN Secretary-General on violence against children — as “very important”.

“The economic, social, and epidemiological crises have a very big impact on children, especially the poor, let alone all the other different kinds violence used against children,” M’jid said.

She went on to make it clear that the main aim of the meeting was to seek the best means to support and accelerate the activation of national policies for social coverage, as well as the protection of children from all the forms of violence, capitalizing on the fight against child labor.

“This falls within the framework of an integrated approach to a series of very important services; the United Nations is supportive of the Lebanese state in the field of protecting children from violence, discrimination, and poverty,” she added.