Dubai: A Dubai Cares delegation reaffirmed its commitment to help achieve universal primary education a forum held along the sidelines of the 69th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Tarek Al Gurg, Dubai Cares CEO, led the Dubai Cares delegation as they joined representatives of UN aid agencies, heads of states, and representatives of foundations and civil society organisations, academic institutions, and delegates from member states of the UN in New York to discuss the way forward in providing primary education to all the children around the world.
In a series of high-level meetings convened along the sidelines of the 69th United Nations General Assembly, delegates focused on re-energising the movement by addressing current problems by injecting more funds, expertise, and conducting global awareness campaigns.
The Dubai Cares delegation participated in a forum co-chaired by UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim to discuss the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI).
The forum seeks to address fundamental issues in the provision of quality, relevant and transformative education for everyone by 2015 and beyond.
In support of the initiative, Dubai Cares has consistently aligned its programmes in vulnerable communities by ensuring quality primary education, creating safe learning environments, increasing resources, facilitating support for parents and training for teachers.
“There is an overwhelming need for collective action towards enforcing primary schooling opportunities for every child. These meetings are instrumental in bringing together the best minds from around the world to exchange opinions and ideas, share best practices, highlight challenges and formulate solutions,” Al Gurg said.
The delegation also participated in A World at School September Forum, which has been at the forefront of the 500-day countdown to meeting the Millennium Development Goal 2, thus ensuring equal opportunity for every child of the current and future generations.
The event shed light on the 58 million children that are still out of school as well as the lag in gender equality when it comes to access to education.
“Educating the girl child can curb population inflation, cut down on incidences of HIV whilst ensuring a progressive family and community outlook towards the world. Hence, the notion that universal education for girls will only be achieved by 2086, at the current rate, is a cause of serious concern that needs to be addressed immediately,” Al Gurg added.
