Jawaher Al Qasimi launches fund for girls' welfare

The fund will work towards this by raising awareness of the rights of girls and advocating for the adoption and activation of protection policies.

An initiative to advocate the rights of girls worldwide has been launched by Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation and wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. 
'The Girl Child Fund' will address all the core issues and challenges faced by girls in the MENASA region, aiming to ensure they have access to education, healthcare, food, security and social and psychological support. The initiative allows for corporate and community involvement via fund-raising campaigns that will support its efforts at all levels and on a global scale.
It will aim to protect the basic rights of the girl child and work to prevent the underage marriage, child trafficking and child labour. The fund will work towards this by raising awareness of the rights of girls and advocating for the adoption and activation of policies that provide them with adequate protection.
Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi highlighted the impact on society when girls are abused and denied their human rights, citing how the issue of girls being forced into underage marriage, trafficked and barred from education causes long-term societal issues by damaging the structure of families and negatively affecting the economy.
"Giving attention and care to girls does so much more than safeguard a particularly vulnerable segment of the community, it means creating a strong society for the future. Today's girls are tomorrow's mothers and mothers are the backbone of the family, with their important role shaping entire communities. Violence and injustice against girls leave a terrible legacy for society for years to come," Sheikha Jawaher said.
"Girls across the world are being denied their right to education, which constitutes a huge problem and results in both short and long term effects for countries. Women are teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers and leaders. Jeopardising their right to acquire knowledge interrupts the cultural and humanitarian advancement of societies." 
According to UN Women's statistics, women and girls constitute 70 per cent of the total known cases of global trafficking victims. Figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) show that nearly 700 million girls worldwide are married under the age of 18 years. If this practice continues at the current rate, the figure will rise to nearly 950 million by 2030.
The Girl Child Fund will enter into regional and global partnerships to expand the scope of its operations in order to reach the largest possible number of girls. The initiative will operate in cooperation with relevant international bodies and organisations involved in advocacy for girls, including education, health and human rights, so as to implement innovative strategies and projects that can make a positive change in their lives.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 

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