UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore concluded a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates during which she attended the annual World Government Summit and met with senior leaders from Government and the private sector.

With UNICEF present in the UAE for more than 40 years, the trip was an opportunity to discuss the needs of children in the region and beyond, and to consolidate growing partnerships with the business community whose role in promoting the rights of children and young people around the world is critical.

The visit was marked by the launch, by UNICEF and Dubai Cares, of the Dubai Declaration on Early Childhood Development, which calls for a rapid increase in global investment in good nutrition, early stimulation and protection in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

In a panel discussion at the World Government Summit, Fore urged governments and the private sector to invest in the first and second decades of life to make sure children achieve their full potential. 

Fore also spoke about Generation Unlimited, a global platform launched at the UN General Assembly last year to identify and scale up collective efforts to help young people get the skills and education they need to succeed in today’s world. The initiative aims to make sure that every young person aged 10-24 is in some form of school, learning, training or employment by 2030.

Fore met with Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood. Discussions focused on the National Strategy for Motherhood and Childhood and UAE’s role in the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children.

The UNICEF Executive Director also met with senior officials including Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, Mohammad Al Gargawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the UAE, Hessa Buhumaid, Minister for Community Development and Noura Al Alkaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development. 

Fore also met with the Leadership Circle of Champions for Children and Young People, a network of UNICEF supporters and advocates committed to advancing the rights of children.

Fore’s trip to the Gulf will also take her to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.