Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al-Qasimi visits a refugee camp

SHARJAH — Sharjah will host the first Investing in the Future Conference to discuss ways of protecting refugee children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Undre the aegis of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the two-day conference starting Oct. 15 is a response to the increasing number of refugees in war-torn countries in the region.

Under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al-Qasimi, the UNHCR conference in collaboration with The Big Heart, will see a participation of over 300 leaders, government officials and regional and international experts involved in refugee affairs and child protection in war-torn areas. It aims to put measures in place to ensure children and refugees in the Middle East and North Africa are protected from the danger of all forms of exploitation and violence. It further endeavors to provide comprehensive rights for refugee children, particularly the right to shelter, food, healthcare, psychological treatment and education, a press release issued here on Tuesday said.

As one of the main objectives of the conference is to provide the youth in the MENA region with a platform of engagement and awareness on vhild/youth displacement issues, a Youth Forum has been organized to run parallel to the main event. The forum will host a number of workshops and sessions, and is expected to be attended by approximately 500 university students, faculty members and academics.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikha Jawaher said: “Hosting this first of its kind conference in Sharjah is in line with the directives of the Ruler of Sharjah to protect the rights of refugees – especially children – and to put the instruments in place that help protect these vulnerable children.”

She emphasized that every child has the right to grow up in a safe and stable environment and to live a decent life. She stressed the necessity for organizations and individuals around the world to take responsibility for children and insisted that the international community must ensure that children’s rights are upheld and sustained.

She stated that the UAE has a strong humanitarian legacy, established by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan, who founded the principles of fulfilling humanitarian deeds for disadvantaged and afflicted people in the country and the world.

 
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