A coordination meeting between Sharjah Baby Friendly Office (SBF) and government entities and departments in Sharjah held recently at the Consultative Council of Sharjah discussed expansion of its partner base and promoted cooperation with all organizations and initiatives involved in infrastructure, and services that impact childhood within the Emirate.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Executive Director of SBF; Essam Ali, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF Gulf Area Office; in addition to representatives from various state bodies and departments in Sharjah. The meeting was aimed at updating the attendees on the strategy of “Sharjah Child-Friendly City” (SCFC) for 2019-2021.

Dr. Hessa showcased the progress plans and phases of Sharjah Child Friendly City’s project that will build upon the UN’s prestigious title that Sharjah has been bestowed. After successfully meeting the international criteria launched by UNICEF’s global Child Friendly City (CFC) initiative, Sharjah was named the world’s first child friendly city to implement the new criteria of the global initiative. The plans presented ensured fulfillment of children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and established positive impact on the lives on children and adolescents in the city.

In this regard, Dr. Al Ghazal said: “Our meeting with representatives from Sharjah government departments aligns with the goal of SBF to tally and intensify efforts to support children, young people and encourage all related parties to develop and adopt child-friendly policies, and engage more stakeholders in the other initiative implemented by the Office, such as the Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Project which encourages breastfeeding through supporting mothers in the workplace”.

Al Ghazal added: “This meeting discussed the progress in preparing the strategic plan of Sharjah Child-Friendly City’s project for 2019-2021. The prepared framework aims at protecting the right of children to be valued, respected and treated fairly; the right to be heard; the right to social services; the right to be safe and the right to family life, play and leisure.”