OIC urges member states and humanitarian organisations to commemorate Orphans’ Day

KUALA LUMPUR: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on member states and humanitarian organisations to undertake activities to commemorate Orphan’s Day, which is celebrated on the 15th of Ramadan (June 10).

The OIC said it paid particular attention to the issues of the orphans, with the launch of its programme for the stewardship and sponsoring of orphans, subsequent to the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia in 2006.

However, the needs of orphans in the disaster and crisesstruck zones continue to be of immense weight, the OIC said in a statement.

“OIC appeals to the member states and to humanitarian organisations to undertake appropriate activities to raise awareness about the orphans’ issues and their needs, on the occasion of the Orphan’s Day in the Islamic World.

“Proceeding from our desire to honour the orphans, to remind our societies in the Muslim world of the orphans’ hardships and to urge them to exert greater efforts in sponsoring them, offering help and nurturance,” OIC said.

It said natural disasters, wars and crises across the Islamic world and more particularly in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Afghanistan, in addition to the catastrophic effects of the tsunami in East Asia, have resulted in the loss of many human lives, leaving thousands of orphaned children.

“We all know that the right of the child is one of the most sacred rights established by Islam and all other religions,” it added.

A resolution that set 15th of Ramadan of each year as Orphan’s Day during the 40th session of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Council, which was held in Conakry, Guinea on Dec 9 to 11, 2013.

It was dedicated for the orphans in the Islamic world and for action to educate the public about their issues and needs. — Bernama