UNITED NATIONS, Sept 21: A United Nations press release on Wednesday said action is urgently needed to tackle a range of problems facing over 600 million children in the Islamic world, from poverty and disease to education and protection.

At the same time, the report reflects a determination on the part of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to mobilize its member states to provide financial and technical resources, share experience and expertise and organize practical support that will bring about improvement and lasting progress in the lives of their children.

OIC member states account for a quarter of the world’s 2.3 billion children — in nations spanning Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Titled ‘Investing in the Children of the Islamic World’ and jointly issued by the OIC, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and Unicef, the report says that meeting the needs and guaranteeing the rights of children in Islamic countries will in large part determine the success of overall efforts to combat poverty, accelerate human development and promote global peace and security.

The report was presented at an event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations. Foreign Minister Hamid Albar, representing Malaysia as current President of the OIC Summit, said, “As the OIC undergoes its current process of reform and revitalization nothing is more important than putting children at the centre of its efforts.”