JEDDAH:  About 250 media professionals from the Muslim world took part in a workshop that explored the effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on children and their rights. The event, titled “Media Interaction with the Implications of Child Rights in Light of the Coronavirus Crisis,” was organized by the Union of OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) News Agencies (UNA), with the cooperation with the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD) and in partnership with the OIC and the Islamic Broadcasting Union. The participants work for news agencies, radio stations, TV channels, newspapers and online platforms in 40 OIC member nations and other, Muslim-minority countries. The workshop, which was conducted in Arabic and translated into English and French, was led by Dr. Ahmed Zayed, a professor of sociology at Cairo University. He discussed the effects of the pandemic on children, and the negative consequences for their health, development and protection resulting from the disruption of routine activities of families, friends and the wider society. Reliable estimates suggest, for example, that the suspension of measles immunization campaigns in at least 23 countries has affected more than 78 million children under the age of nine. The psychological effects of the pandemic on adults, such as increased anxiety resulting from infection or loss of a job, can be transmitted to children. The health crisis has also disrupted the daily routines of children, causing emotional and psychological distress due to the illness or death of a loved one, or prolonged separation. Mohamed Al-Yami, the assistant acting director-general of the UNA thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their support of the union, the headquarters of which is in Saudi Arabia, and for providing assistance that enables the union to serve the media in OIC countries. Hassan El-Bilawi, the ACCD secretary-general, said that the workshop is a continuation of the council’s efforts to tackle the risks and challenges presented by the coronavirus. It is imperative that it continues to work to protect children, families and the disadvantaged in society, he added.