Sheikha Fatima calls on world to help children living in poverty

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak urged the international community to provide care and suitable means of living to children worldwide since many are still living in poverty.

In a statement on International Children’s Day, the Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation said: “We share with all children this celebration through expressing a mutual desire in providing safety and wellbeing for children and striving to alleviate the suffering of children affected by wars, crisis, natural disasters, physical violence and global catastrophes.”

She said the world’s children have not yet reached the level of prosperity since many live below the poverty mark and face many difficulties in life, suffering from economic, social, health and security problems.

She said the UAE is committed to all United Nations treaties related to the rights of children and is constantly encouraging the development of children.

The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood implemented a range of programmes and projects promoting children in the UAE. They are currently preparing programs and seminars for the National Strategy for Motherhood and Childhood and the UAE’s 2011 Strategic Plan to Support the Right and Development of Children with Determination.

Sheikha Fatima called on the international community to “assume its responsibilities towards children and shield them from torments of wars and disasters through providing health care, education and social stability and to create projects and develop policies which enable them to live in peace and security, for children are our future generation.”

Rym Abdulla Al Falasy, Secretary General of The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood said due to “the wise leadership” of Sheikha Fatima the UAE “has become a global role model for empowering women and children, providing them with the essential means such as education, protection and health care, thus, contributing to a sustainable social and economic development”.

The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood implemented a number of initiatives and programs benefiting mothers and children including the Global Strategy for the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents 2030.

Listing some of the programmes to support women and children Al Falasy said that Sheikha Fatima supports children and their right to access treatment anywhere, and therefore established field hospitals and launched a campaign to treat one million children. These hospitals provided medical care, surgical, and preventive services for children, with the participation of senior doctors and surgeons from the world's leading university hospitals under a voluntary and humanitarian framework.