UNICEF" and "Qatar Charity" Sign MoU to Strengthen Cooperation in Humanitarian Crises

Doha, May 04 (QNA) - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Qatar Charity, signed a memorandum of understanding to provide a framework for cooperation and strengthen disaster reduction and humanitarian response. The agreement will also serve as a guide for entering into specific forms of cooperation. Under the agreement UNICEF, which works for children's rights, their survival, development and protection, and Qatar Charity shall, in collaboration and in agreement with the authorities of the concerned countries, cooperate in activities such as undertaking joint missions to the agreed countries in the agreed areas of cooperation or other activities as may be agreed upon from time to time. The memorandum, which was signed by Ms Maria Calivis, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Region and Yousef Bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity, will be applied within UNICEF global plan framework aimed at strengthening humanitarian response and prevention, and development projects, for the benefit of children and women in the areas of: child survival and development, basic education, gender equality, HIV and children, prevention and response to incidents of violence, exploitation and abuse and the development of policies and partnerships to support the rights of the child. For her part, Ms Calivis praised the important role played by Qatar, and particularly Qatar Charity, in the field of childhood and humanitarian relief, through carrying out local and international initiatives, which aim to ensure the rights of children all over the world and improve the chances of survival, development, protection. She emphasized the previous successful cooperation between Qatar Charity and UNICEF, especially the joint projects in Somalia, noting that those experiences will be the basis for the work of the two institutions to focus on the most in need of intervention areas that will be implemented in the framework of this agreement. UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Region further said, "This partnership is an example of the integration of the United Nations agencies and NGOs work in the field of humanitarian relief and development. "We hope that this step will encourage other institutions in the Arabian Gulf region, to strengthen its cooperation with us in the areas of mutual interest including the good of all, especially the underprivileged segments of the world", she added. Yousef Bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, on his part, stressed that the memorandum lays the foundation for a new era of partnership and cooperation between Qatar Charity ,the leading Foundation in humanitarian aid and development, and UNICEF, where the humanitarian work and organizations active in this area facing a lot of challenges, especially the global financial crisis and the intensification of disasters and conflicts and the spread of diseases and epidemics and widening poverty. "This agreement came in the framework of strengthening our cooperation with regional and international organizations working in the field of humanitarian and relief and development, as we must combine our efforts to meet the challenges of current and that potential in the future, to help the less fortunate and affected people anywhere in the world, and to meet their needs and protect their rights", said Al Kuwari. Qatar Charity is a non-governmental organization, founded in 1992 for the development of the Qatari society and other needy communities. It works in the fields of sustainable development, reducing poverty, and disaster relief . QC endeavors to serve all needy people and communities regardless of their color, sex, religion, race or nationality. It has been in a consultative status with the UN ECOSOC since 1997. It is also a member of the General Founding Conference of the Arab Network for NGOs in Cairo since 1999. In Addition, the Foundation is member of other networks, and cooperate with a large number of governmental and non-governmental partners and the private sector locally, regionally and internationally. Qatar Charity has 16 offices worldwide, operating in more than 50 countries with more than 160 field partners. UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. (END)