The United Arab Emirates and India are seeking new opportunities for collaboration in child development, focusing especially on early childhood education, nutrition, and initiatives promoting child participation, according to WAM.
Al Reem Abdullah Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the UAE Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, discussed matters with Shri Anil Malik, Secretary at India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development, during the initial International Financing Summit for Early Childhood hosted by UNICEF in New York, coinciding with the 80th UN General Assembly.
Focus on Early Childhood Education and Nutrition
The conversations centered on exchanging knowledge to enhance the standard of early education, including cooperation on curricula and teaching resources. Both parties additionally examined potential collaborations on early nutrition initiatives like breastfeeding and complementary feeding, considering the chance to initiate a joint study to evaluate the effects of these interventions on children’s growth and development.
Another aspect being explored was the development of a collaborative report on the status of childhood, framed as a paradigm for South-South cooperation.
Child Participation and Protection Initiatives
The two delegations also explored ways to enhance child participation through initiatives like child parliaments, which might involve joint sessions or digital exchanges between the Emirati Children’s Parliament and their Indian counterparts, addressing topics such as education, environment, and digital safety.
Al Falasi emphasized that investing in children is an investment in the future of the nation. She highlighted the UAE’s advancement in lowering under-five mortality to approximately five per 1,000 live births, reaching 96 percent vaccination coverage, and increasing early education enrollment in Dubai by 16 percent.
She also emphasized national efforts like the 2024 Fatima bint Mubarak Forum on Mental Health and the I Support My Friends training initiative conducted in collaboration with UNICEF.
Al Falasi emphasized that following the guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood has broadened child protection and empowerment initiatives throughout the UAE. Included in this is the national anti-bullying initiative that began in schools in 2016, impacting over 240,000 students and leading to a notable reduction in bullying incidents.
