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Saudi Arabia Signs Cooperation Deal With UN Agency to Empower Children in Cyberspace

NCA Gov. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti and ITU’s telecommunication development bureau director Doreen Bogdan-Martin signing the agreement in Geneva (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NCA Gov. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti and ITU’s telecommunication development bureau director Doreen Bogdan-Martin signing the agreement in Geneva (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Signs Cooperation Deal With UN Agency to Empower Children in Cyberspace

NCA Gov. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti and ITU’s telecommunication development bureau director Doreen Bogdan-Martin signing the agreement in Geneva (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NCA Gov. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti and ITU’s telecommunication development bureau director Doreen Bogdan-Martin signing the agreement in Geneva (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority signed a strategic partnership agreement with the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on Thursday, launching the global program on “Creating a Safe and Prosperous Cyberspace for Children".

National Cybersecurity Authority Gov. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti and ITU’s telecommunication development bureau director Doreen Bogdan-Martin penned the accord at the union’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Delegates from both sides attended the ceremony, including the Kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, envoy Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Wasel, and deputy governor of the NCA for international cooperation, Majid bin Mohammed Al-Mazyed.

The program launch will reinforce Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s international initiative to protect children in the cyberworld, announced in February at the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh.

The agreement will focus on developing best practices, policies, and programs to protect children against increasing cyber threats targeting them while using the internet. It will also provide guidance on keeping children safe in cyberspace via at least 50 global training programs offered in the UN’s official languages of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

More than 500 open consultation sessions will be held to follow up on the implementation of the program.

Trainers around the world will be advised on how to implement guidance and develop mobile apps and entertaining educational games that would contribute to achieving the aims of the scheme.

The program will also support countries in evaluating, developing, and improving relevant policies, launching awareness campaigns, enriching discussions on child protection in developing nations, and establishing task forces to help countries set up child protection programs.

ITU secretary-general, Houlin Zhao, praised the Kingdom’s role in supporting international activities to protect children in cyberspace.

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Mother in Gaza Longs for Triplets in Jerusalem Hospital

Palestinian triplets from al-Bayouk family, born prematurely and separated from their mother who had to leave them at hospital in Jerusalem to recover as she had to return to Gaza after her Israeli-issued permit expired before the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, are cared for at Makassed hospital. Reuters
Palestinian triplets from al-Bayouk family, born prematurely and separated from their mother who had to leave them at hospital in Jerusalem to recover as she had to return to Gaza after her Israeli-issued permit expired before the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, are cared for at Makassed hospital. Reuters
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Mother in Gaza Longs for Triplets in Jerusalem Hospital

Palestinian triplets from al-Bayouk family, born prematurely and separated from their mother who had to leave them at hospital in Jerusalem to recover as she had to return to Gaza after her Israeli-issued permit expired before the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, are cared for at Makassed hospital. Reuters
Palestinian triplets from al-Bayouk family, born prematurely and separated from their mother who had to leave them at hospital in Jerusalem to recover as she had to return to Gaza after her Israeli-issued permit expired before the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, are cared for at Makassed hospital. Reuters

In August 2023, Hanan al-Bayouk travelled from Gaza to Israeli-occupied Arab East Jerusalem for a high-risk birth. Her triplets, born prematurely and underweight, are doing well, but she had to leave them shortly after they were born and does not know when she will be able to hold them again.

Israel's restrictions on the movement of Palestinians meant 26-year-old al-Bayouk returned to Gaza while her babies were still in intensive care for fear of falling foul of the law.

By the time they were ready to go home, war had broken out and she got stuck, with video calls her only way of keeping in touch.

Her daughters Najwa, Nour and Najmah, are being cared for at the Al-Makassed hospital, where there are colourful drawings on the walls, toys, and baby walkers for them to scoot around in.

It is worlds away from conditions for children in Gaza, which has been blockaded and pounded by Israeli forces since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

In March, the UN children's agency said over 13,000 children had been killed in the Gaza conflict, adding that many kids were suffering from severe malnutrition and did not "even have the energy to cry."

The triplets are developing normally, said Dr. Hatem Khammash, director of neonatal intensive care at the hospital.

"Good mental development, also their breathing is good," he said. "The only thing that makes us sad, is that they are far away from their mother."

Doctors and nurses communicate with Hanan via Whatsapp if the family is lucky enough to get internet in Gaza, Reuters reported.

Communications have been hammered by the war, which was triggered when Hamas militants crossed from Gaza into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking back more than 250 hostages.

Israel's subsequent military offensive has killed more than 41,206 Palestinians, wounded 95,337 and flattened many parts of the densely populated strip. Internationally mediated ceasefire negotiations have shown little sign of a breakthrough.

In the meantime, staff at the Al-Makassed hospital, repeat "Mama", "Mama" to encourage the girls to focus on their mother's small image on the phone as they reach out to grab the screen.