Lubna stresses need to address abuse of war victims

New York, NY: Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Co-operation underscored that the UAE is playing an effective role globally in the field of protecting the rights of individuals and ensuring their dignity, particularly its strong support for the international issues related to sexual violence, suffered by victims of the armed conflicts in various spots in the world. On the sidelines of the 68th United Nations General Assembly, New York, Sheikha Lubna discussed with Zainab Hawa Bangura, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative on Sexual Violence Conflict, the importance of continuing the international efforts in this regard. They also discussed a number of international humanitarian issues, especially the increase of sexual abuse crimes during wars and armed conflicts, the tragedies witnessed by refugees and the importance of addressing them effectively through the partnership among all various sides. They also reviewed the UAE's effective contributions in alleviating the suffering of the affected people in various parts worldwide. On the other hand, Sheikha Lubna met with Alan Duncan, the UK's Minister of State for International Development and discussed with him the latest developments in the humanitarian issues and the two countries' contributions in alleviating their repercussions, particularly in Syria, Somalia and Yemen. They also agreed on the importance of continuing the joint efforts and building on the previous strong partnership channels for the sake of increasing their contributions in the developmental, relief and humanitarian aspects. Sheikha Lubna also met with Anthony Lake, the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). During the meeting, they discussed ways to respond to the challenges of the Syrian crises and its results on the Syrian people, especially children and the need to secure protection for them. For his part, Anthony Lake hailed the UAE's unique efforts in the fields of securing living conditions and educational services for the Syrian children through establishing the UAE-funded camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. – Emirates News Agency, WAM