Sheikha Fatima launches Fatima Award for Motherhood

H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), has launched the "Sheikha Fatima Award for Motherhood and Childhood," to open the doors of excellence and innovation, both locally and internationally.

The announcement was made during a speech delivered today by Reem Abdullah Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood on behalf of H.H. Sheikha Fatima, at a press conference at the Emirates Palace, in the presence of Noura Al Suwaidi, Director of the GWU, as well as several officials and representatives of media outlets.

Sheikha Fatima affirmed that the nation’s interest in Emirati mothers and children stems from the attention of the wise leadership, as well as their desire to see the mother’s happiness in their children and to see that they can raise their children in a sound upbringing, to prepare them for the future.

She explained that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had established these principles and adopted them into practice, and President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members the Rulers of the Emirates, have followed these principles, until Emirati women have become among the leading women in both the region and around the world, due to the academic and work opportunities provided by the wise leadership.

"Our goal will always be to benefit the mother and her child, so we hereby announce the launch of the award, which reflects the UAE’s deep interest in opening the doors of excellence and innovation in this area, both locally and internationally," she added, while pointing out that the goal of the award is to highlight the UAE’s attention to issues relating to motherhood and childhood on an international level, to encourage individuals and local government and private authorities to pursue and conduct specialised scientific research in this area and provide the required care services, with the aim of creating mechanisms and taking measures to bridge the role of the mother in the family and her role in public life, as well as improving the quality of services provided to mothers and children.

Sheikha Fatima explained that the award will also express the care needs of burdened mothers and children, and encourage and motivate children to excel and integrate in extracurricular activities while noting that facing women’s and children’s issues will also be an important goal of the award, as well as encouraging local and international research and conducting relevant studies, to enrich the UAE’s knowledge and highlight the most important categories of society, mothers and their children.

Sheikha Fatima called on all government and private institutions, especially specialist researchers, university professors and their students, both inside and outside the UAE, to actively participate in the award, which aims to prioritise mothers and children and find the means of providing them with the best care