The Policy Forum explored through presentations, plenary and group discussion the importance of protecting refugee children in the region, and child protection issues specific to the region. It identified ways in which governments, civil society, communities and international agencies can work together to strengthen child protection systems, as well as how these systems can and addressed the needs of refugee children.

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS (4 parallel sessions)

Protecting Innocence: Prevention and Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
Moderator: Dr. AblaAmawi, Country Director, UN Women, Egypt- Introductory remarks.
Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
Ms. Maria Semaan, Child Protection Program Coordinator, KAFA Association, Lebanon
Dr Manal Tahtamouni, Director, Noor Al Hussein Foundation, Jordan
Ms. Karen Whiting, Senior Protection Officer (SGBV/Child Protection ), UNHCR Jordan
Discussion

A Generation Marked by Violence: Children Affected by Armed Conflict
Moderator: Ms. Katharina Lumpp, Head of Protection Service, MENA Bureau, UNHCR- Introductory Remarks
Opening Remarks (video message): Ms Leila Zerrougui, Under Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
Mr. Claude Bruderlein, Strategic Advisor to the President, International Committee of the Red Cross.
Mr. Alec Wargo, Program Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Mr. Laurent Chapuis, Regional Child Protection Advisor, Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa, UNICEF
Discussion

Every Child Counts: Birth Registration and Legal Documentation
Moderator: Ms. Lena Karlsson, Director, Child Protection Initiative, Save the Children- Introductory remarks
Ms. Samar Muhareb, Director, Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD)-Legal Aid, Jordan.
Ms. Mala Roche, Project Manager, Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Norwegian Refugee Council, Lebanon.
Mr. Amit Sen, Regional Protection Officer, UNHCR
Discussion

Addressing Exploitation and Separation: Putting the Best Interest of the Child First.
Moderator: Ms. Amanda Melville, Senior Regional Child Protection Officer, UNHCR- Introductory remarks.
Dr. Ibrahim Draji, Professor of International Law, Expert in Protection and Trafficking in Persons.
Ms. JumanahZabaneh, Regional Officer, Save the Children, Lebanon.
Mr. Nick Grisewood, Child Labour expert.
Discussion

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS (3 parallel sessions)

Live & Learn Safe: Protecting Children through Education.
Moderator: Mr. TayyarSukruCansizoglu, Senior Regional Protection Coordinator, UNHCR- Introductory Remarks.
Mr. Justin Van Fleet, Chief of Staff, Office of the UN Special Envoy for Global Education.
Ms. InasRagab Rashid, Ministry of Education, Egypt.
Ms. Marina Lopez-Anselme, Chief Programme Development & Evaluation Officer, Refugee Education Trust (RET).
Ms. Audrey Nirrengarten, Education Officer, UNHCR.
Discussion

Tapping into Potential: Adolescents and Youth as Agents of Change.
Moderator: Ms. Emma Bonar, Youth Project Manager, Norwegian Refugee Council, Jordan- Introductory remarks
Ms. Seema Manohar, Emergency Adolescent Reproductive Health Specialist, Save the Children.
Mr. Elias Ayoub, Country Director, Right to Play, Lebanon.
Ms. Zeina Ayoub, Youth Department Coordinator, AMEL Organization, Lebanon.
Video Message: Intervention by a young refugee Ms. Kathryn Paik, Program Officer, Adolescent Girls, Women’s Refugee Commission.
Discussion

Families and Communities at the Forefront of Child Protection.
Moderator: Ms. Monika Sandvik-Nylund, Senior Protection Advisor, UNHCR- Introductory remarks.
Mr. FadelHumoud, Secretary-General, National Council for Family Affairs, Jordan.
Dr. Nancy Baron, Psychosocial Services and Training Institute in Cairo (PSTIC), Egypt.
Ms. Sandra Maignant, Technical Advisor For Child Protection, International Rescue Committee.
Discussion

The objective of the forum was to engage the youth from the region in understanding the dynamics and challenges of forced displacement within the MENA region. It helped raise awareness of interesting initiatives related to protecting refugee children and adolescents in the region.

Audience:
The forum included an audience of local/regional NGOs, international organisations working on youth issues, and university students from colleges of humanities and social sciences as well as other relevant fields of study. The forum included many activities such as workshops, seminars and musical performance. The number of attendees for the youth forum was 600 participants.

Conference Host, Ms Zeina Yaziji, Sky News Arabia

His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi	Member of Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah	Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
MrAntónioGuterres	Previous United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
HE Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan	Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Nabil ElAraby	Previous Secretary-General, League of Arab States Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Education (Video Message)
Mr. Amin Awad	Director, MENA Bureau, UNHCR- Introductory remarks
HE DrGhadaWali	Minister of Social Affairs, Egypt
Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura	Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
Ms. Margot Ellis	Deputy Commissioner General, United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
Ms. Anne C. Richard	Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, United States of America
Ms. Louise Aubin	Deputy Director, Division of International Protection, UNHCR- Introductory remarks
HE Mr. Rashid Derbas	Minister of Social Affairs, Lebanon
HE Ms. Reem Abu Hassan	Minister of Social Affairs, Jordan
Ms. Maria Calivis	Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, UNICEF
Dr. AblaAmawi	Country Director, UN Women, Egypt- Introductory remarks
Ms. Maria Semaan	Child Protection Program Coordinator, KAFA Association, Lebanon
Dr Manal Tahtamouni	Director, Noor Al Hussein Foundation, Jordan
Ms. Karen Whiting	Senior Protection Officer (SGBV/Child Protection), UNHCR Jordan
Ms. Katharina Lumpp	Head of Protection Service, MENA Bureau, UNHCR- Introductory Remarks
Ms Leila Zerrougui	Under Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (Video Message)
Mr. Claude Bruderlein	Strategic Advisor to the President, International Committee of the Red Cross
Mr. Alec Wargo	Program Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict
Mr. Laurent Chapuis	Regional Child Protection Advisor, Regional Office for Middle East and North Africa, UNICEF
Ms. Lena Karlsson	Director, Child Protection Initiative, Save the Children- Introductory remarks
Ms. Samar Muhareb	Director, Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD)-Legal Aid, Jordan
Ms. Mala Roche	Project Manager, Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Norwegian Refugee Council, Lebanon
Mr. Amit Sen	Regional Protection Officer, UNHCR
Ms. Amanda Melville	Senior Regional Child Protection Officer, UNHCR- Introductory remarks
Dr. Ibrahim Draji	Professor of International Law, Expert in Protection and Trafficking in Persons
Ms. JumanahZabaneh	Regional Officer, Save the Children, Lebanon
Mr. Nick Grisewood	Child Labour expert
Mr. Tariq Mohammed Al Gurg	Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares
Ms. Elizabeth Tan	Deputy Regional Representative (Protection), UNHCR Egypt
Dr. Roger Hearn	Regional Director for the Middle East and Eurasia, Save the Children
Mr. Michael Niconchuk	Emergency Response Coordinator, Questscope, Jordan
Ms. Lynne Featherstone	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom
Ms. Preeta Law	Senior Protection Coordinator, UNHCR- Introductory Remarks
HE Ms. Najla Al Kaabi	Assistant Undersecretary, International Organizations, Ministry of International Coordination and Development (MICAD), United Arab Emirates
Mr. Mervyn Lee	Senior Global Counsellor, Mercy Corps
Ms. Rym Ghazal	Journalist and Writer
Mr. Miroslav Dusek	Senior Director, Head of Middle East and North Africa, World Economic Forum
Mr. EJ Jacobs	Progam Director, Nduna Foundation
Mr. Badr Jafar	Managing Director, Crescent Group
Ms. Carol Tan	Kennedy School of Government, Harard University
Mr. Oisin Walton	Programme Manager, Vodafone Foundation