A programme encouraging women and children to give back to the community has just been launched in the UAE.
Created by HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Fatima bint Mubarak Volunteering Programme will offer women and children training programmes to increase their skills and offer them opportunities to participate in volunteering both locally and internationally.
“The Fatima Bint Mubarak Volunteering Programme focusses on the four pillars of thought, ability, empowerment and giving, and will include several initiatives that will effectively contribute to developing the skills of women and children and enable them to take part in volunteer work,” reported the state news agency WAM.
The programme will organise summits to advocate for the benefits of volunteering and create an award for women and children who excel in the programme.
An international campaign will also be launched to encourage volunteering in the sectors of health, education, culture and the environment in order to support economic development and sustainable community in the UAE.
The programme coincides with HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s announcement of 2017 as the Year of Giving and his vision “to establish the culture of volunteer work and humanitarian giving.”
Noura Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Women’s Union, said that the UAE is making every effort to boost the amount of women volunteers in the country with the belief that it “supports and strengthens social solidarity.”
According to the Zayed Giving Initiative, Emirati women have already volunteered 600,000 hours of their time in the past 7 years.
“Emirati woman have proven their merit as trendsetters in the local and international humanitarian and voluntary works,” said the ZGI report. “They have engaged in creative initiatives in the service of humanity.”
“The UAE leadership created the favourable conditions for empowering women to play their aspired role in all fields, mainly voluntary and charitable works.”
The UAE has already seen a wide range of volunteering initiatives launched over the past 8 months including the first UAE Food Bank as well as a national volunteering scheme.
Members of the royal family have already taken part in a number of volunteering initiatives including Sheikha Shamma who volunteered at the Food Bank in January.
