Omantel has been chosen as UNICEF’s partner for World Children’s Day (WCD), a Global Day of Action for children, by children. As a corporate leading by example, Omantel is humbled by this privilege and is also proud that UNICEF sees it as an able, inspiring organisation from which children can learn and emulate.
World Children’s Day is observed every year on November 20 wherein UNICEF’s chosen corporate partner helps elevate the voices of children and young people as active participants in decision- making.
Omantel shares the sultanate’s responsibility in raising awareness on the rights and needs of children in Oman and around the world. On November 21, the company hosteda group of four children aged 14-18 years nominated by the Ministry of Education. These children spent a regular eight-hour workday Omantel’s headquarters shadowing its Executive Board officers, (CEO, CPO, CCO, COO) participating in these top officials’ work and observing their personality traits. These participants also put forth questions to the CXO they had shadowed. The CXOs shared their experiences with the children, motivating them towards their future aspirations. These interactions give confidence to those kids to share their strengths and goals.
Under Kids Takeover, which is another part of the core WCD plan, Omantel staff brought their children to work to allow them to understand the company’s operations besides roles and responsibilities of its employees. Fourteen children aged 8-14 were part of the Takeover group.
All participating children received a preliminary briefing at the UNICEF office before the event and undergone a series of sessions while at ‘work’ in Omantel’s headquarters. These included an HSSE induction activity, a talk-about World Children’s Day 2021 and the role of Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) with UNICEF by H.E Lana Al Wreikat, UNICEF’s Oman Representative, an introduction to Omantel headquarters nursery, and a session by child psychotherapist Dr Noora Alakhzami - kids psychologist. They were also handed certificates.
UNICEF Oman and Omantel ensured gender parity and ensure inclusion of vulnerable children and children with disabilities in the initiative.
Along with Kids Takeover, ‘Turning the World Blue’ is a second core component of World Children’s Day celebrations. To mark this, Omantel lighted up its headquarters building in UNICEF Cyan blue on November 20. This is part of a global action to raise popular support and the political determination to ensure that commitments made to children to ensure their rights back in 1989 are kept.
In 2019, the Omantel Corporate building was among the world’s iconic buildings and historical sites including the Sydney Opera House, Petra and the Empire State Building.
Najla Al Bahlouli, Senior Manager of Employee Engagement at Omantel, said, “It is such a honour to be collaborate with the UNICEF on World Children’s Day. As Oman’s leading and responsible corporate, Omantel is deeply committed to its social goals. The children of this country are its future. Through this collaboration, Omantel is partnering in UNICEF’s and Oman’s goal to Increase the number of individuals, corporates and governments acting in support of children, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, besides elevating the voices of children and young people as active participants in decision-making.
World Children’s Day marks the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The Sultanate of Oman has achieved great strides with respect to child rights in recent decades with the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1996, the enactment of the Child Law in 2014, establishment of protection committees, and most notably the launch of the Child Protection hotline service in 2017.
Omantel is the Sultanate’s first and leading integrated telecommunications services provider, enabling the digital society to flourish, allowing new ways of doing business and delivering a world of information, news and entertainment. Omantel strives to ensure optimum customer satisfaction.
Source: Omantel Press Release
