The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has been a close partner of Global Ministries since its establishment. The MECC plays an active role in conflict resolution, peace and community building, and bringing together Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches throughout the Middle East. MECC's Peace, and Human Rights program (JPHR) has worked to raise awareness, reflect and produce documentation on the spiritual foundations of human rights, and the means of creating an overall culture of rights in the Middle East.

In Egypt, the national member churches and JPHR have initiated work to directly help working children. These children are a significant group in Egyptian society whose basic human rights are not respected. Although the law prohibits child labor in Egypt, it is not enforced. Some 20-40 percent of children must work to help their families survive. Children work for very low wages, and are exposed to unhealthy behavior by the adults around them including smoking, drug addition, sexual harassment, and abuse.

To meet the needs of the working children, JPHR is establishing "Working children: The Weakest Laborers and Poorest Children." This program will teach children to know their rights, encourage workshop owners not to abuse the children they employ, and will help parents to better protect their children. It is also building a network and model example for the social protection of working children's labor rights.