Doha: Executive Director of UNICEF, HE Catherine Russell, emphasized that the State of Qatar is a strong and very important partner for UNICEF, noting that this cooperation includes several areas, especially education.
In special remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Her Excellency said that HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, has played a prominent leadership role on the international stage in promoting the importance of education, especially for children living in conflict zones or who have been deprived of education due to crises, adding that she expressed her gratitude for this role during her meeting with Her Highness.
She also commended the efforts of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the EAA Foundation in supporting the educational process for children, stressing that these efforts contributed to keeping many children in school despite the challenges.
Her Excellency explained that there is a strategic partnership between UNICEF, Qatar's government, and relevant institutions, as intensive meetings were held to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation and benefit from Qatari resources and expertise in this field. She added that this partnership requires significant resources in addition to intellectual leadership, which enhances the organization's ability to achieve a broader impact worldwide.
HE the Executive Director of UNICEF pointed out that the organization cooperates closely with Qatar in the field of education, stressing that education represents a basic right for all children, and has a direct impact on achieving other sustainable development goals.
She explained that education, as the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributes to improving public health and enhancing economic participation.
She added that the challenges facing education are multiple, including poverty and debts that hinder some countries' spending on education, in addition to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has kept children out of school for long periods.
She noted that estimates indicate that more than 250 million children worldwide are deprived of education, emphasizing that returning them to schools and ensuring quality education for them represents a major challenge.
On how to benefit from Qatar's successful experience in supporting children's rights, Her Excellency stressed that Qatar provides continuous support to UNICEF's work through flexible funding that enables the organization to direct it to where it is most needed, expressing her appreciation for Qatar's increase in the amount of funding provided, especially in light of the decline in development aid from some other countries.
HE Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell praised Qatar's role in providing educational support and humanitarian aid in areas such as Yemen and Syria, urging other countries to benefit from Qatar's approach in this field.
Her Excellency affirmed that the relationship between Qatar and UNICEF is strong and developed, pointing to the transparency and honesty in dealings between the two parties.
She indicated that the cooperation aims to find effective solutions to ensure that the largest possible number of children receive education, adding that the organization continues to search for ways to enhance this cooperation to achieve common goals.
HE the Executive Director of UNICEF expressed her optimism about the possibility of enhancing cooperation with Qatar in the field of digital and innovative solutions to support education, stressing that technology plays a pivotal role in reaching children, especially in remote areas.
She pointed out that there are challenges related to protecting children in the digital space, in addition to the need to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure to expand access to technology. However, she emphasized that the potential provided by digital solutions is vast, which opens up new horizons to support the educational process.
Her Excellency stressed that protecting and caring for children should be a common goal for all countries, noting the importance of exchanging experiences and lessons learned from Qatar's experience in this field. She added that UNICEF places children at the heart of all discussions to ensure that they have access to basic rights, including education and health care, which contributes to achieving stability and prosperity for societies.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, Her Excellency stressed that UNICEF has been working in the Strip for decades and that the organization continues to provide assistance to children despite the difficult circumstances. She indicated that children are the most affected in conflicts, stressing that achieving peace is the most important factor in ensuring that they obtain their basic rights.
HE Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell concluded her remarks to QNA by stressing the significance of continuing cooperation with Qatar to support international efforts aimed at improving the conditions of children worldwide.
