IIFMENA

 

IIFMENA

Investing In the Future, Middle East and North Africa, ‘IIFMENA’ is an international conference organized by The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) every two years to tackle a specific humanitarian and development challenge in the MENA Region. The conference provides a unique platform that brings together representatives from government, civil society and international organizations, as well as from academia and the private sector. Taking place over 2 days, IIFMENA provides an important opportunity to reflect on the current and future directions taken by governments and organizations in the region and aims to develop policies and practical solutions that ensure that vulnerable populations get the needed assistance and protection.

The conference aim

The aim of the 2018 IIFMENA conference is to highlight youth engagement as an effective routetowards community and regional development. The conference will partner with young people, youth organizations and actors from civil society and private sector to governments, and members of the UN family to promote youth-focused development. Further, the conference provides young people from the region with a platform through which they can themselves take charge, identify the results they want to achieve, and set about reaching their goals. The IIFMENA Youth Forum offers a unique opportunity for youth to voice their opinions, share ideas, and think together about what they can do to achieve sustainable development in their communities.

The League of Arab States

The League of Arab States is a regional organization that has 22 Arab states members from both Asia and Africa continents. It was established in 1945 through “The Charter of the League of Arab States” that was declared on 22 March of the same year. Its Charter states on the coordination between member states in the economic, social, cultural, health, educational, military, media and national security affairs. These include commercial relationships, communication, and nationalities, among many other activities. The League of Arab States has 3 councils as follows: League Council, Economic and Social Council, and Ministerial Council. Moreover, the League of Arab States has established several specialized subsidiary organizations that serve member states in all fields. Furthermore, there are several offices that belong to the League of Arab States and are widely spread in many countries around the globe to represent the League in all international events. Cairo city, is the headquarters of the League of Arab States. Arabic is its official language. And, its current Secretary-General is Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

NAMA Women Advancement Establishment

Launched under the Emiri Decree (107/2015) issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Alqasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. NAMA is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.

Our core philosophy at NAMA is to raise awareness that women are an indispensable human resource for the development of every nation. NAMA was conceived to go beyond the remit of supporting women and ensuring gender equality to a broader scope that aims to see women become influential key members of society, thereby enabling them to climb the ladder of success. It encourages policies and legislation to support women and actively pursues programmes that support gender integration into all sectors and abolishes unjust practices and policies that discrimate against the advancement of women.

The United Nations Children’s Fund

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. In all of its work, UNICEF takes a life-cycle based approach, recognizing the particular importance of early childhood development and adolescence. UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation.

United Nations Development Programme

For over 50 years, UNDP has been supporting the Egyptian government and people in their efforts to reduce poverty and to promote sustainable human development policies. One of the hallmarks of UNDP Egypt’s success is its long-term support to the Government in building and sustaining strategic national institutions that have added significant value to improving people’s lives in the country.

UN-Women

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.

SOS Children’s Villages

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) enshrines the right to education for all children regardless of their gender, race, nationality and background. It is the responsibility of states to ensure access to quality education for all children. However, 67 million primary-school-age children are still denied the right to education, as many as 115 million children of primary-school-age are not enrolled in school and illiteracy rates are highest amongst females . In the Arab States the primary net enrolment ratio increased from 77 per cent in 1999 to 86 percent in 2010. Despite this progress, five million children of primary-school-age are still out of school . The most marginalized people are left behind, with girls and people living in rural areas suffering the most. SOS Children’s Villages works within the framework of the UNCRC, The United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – all of which have highlighted the importance of providing quality education for all children as a basic human right. Informed by these international normative frameworks, SOS Children’s Villages Strategy 2030 aims to promote access to quality education, strengthen youth employability and end violence against children, amongst many other initiatives.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee

The primary purpose at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee their homes. Together with partners and communities, UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. UNHCR also strives to secure lasting solutions. For over half a century, UNHCR has helped millions of people to restart their lives including refugees, returnees, stateless people, the internally displaced and asylum-seekers. UNHCR’s protection, shelter, health and education innervations have been crucial, healing broken pasts and building brighter futures.

ENOC

Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) L.L.C. is a leading integrated global oil and gas player operating across the energy sector value chain. A wholly owned company of the Government of Dubai, ENOC was initially established in 1993. The ENOC Group comprises more than 30 related subsidiaries involved in refining, lubricant blending, storage, aviation and retail.

TILAL

Tilal properties is a joint venture between Sharjah Asset Management and Eskan Real Estate Development LLC to focus on the establishment, development and management of real estate projects in Sharjah. Tilal Properties plans to develop a series of high-quality real estate projects in Sharjah.

Sharjah Government Media Bureau

Sharjah Government Media Bureau is the speaker and listener on behalf of Sharjah on the local, regional and international media landscapes. Established under the direction, guidance, and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Alqasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, it is the official conduit responsible for all media and communication activities related to Sharjah’s governing bodies and the emirate as a whole. An independent body, Sharjah Government Media Bureau empowers government communication and encourages the communication of uniform messages. It adopts a mature and responsible strategy inspired by the wisdom of His Highness, the Ruler of Sharjah, which is consistent with the UAE’s federal media policy and regulations, and adherent to the Emirate’s authentic culture.


Haykal Media

Founded in 2004 by Abdulsalam Haykal, our company creates platforms for businesses to deliver their messages. This is done through our media products, that include Harvard Business Review Arabia, Popular Science Arabia, MIT Technology Review Arabia, and others, along with our content creation services that help companies deliver well crafted messages to their audiences, with the help of our events and conferences division, that brings along the content and community together. Haykal Media works to fill gaps in the good quality Arabic content space. Through our publications we aim to support the empowerment and enablement efforts in the Arab world, increasing access to knowledge for Arabs across the region. Each of our publications sits at the centre of the ecosystem that it covers, and builds a community of engaged constituents. We believe that trusted, well produced content is the keystone of our work, Haykal Media is based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with offices and affiliates in Riyadh, Cairo, Damascus, and Beirut.

Sharjah Media Corporation

Sharjah Media Corporation (SMC), a government organisation dedicated to developing the media industry in the Emirate of Sharjah, was established by Emiri Decree No.25 of 2009. SMC aims to develop national media cadres capable of keeping abreast with requirements for development by utilising the best expertise and successful experience of public and private media institutions in coordination with relevant bodies. It also aims to reinforce the media’s role in family building and maintaining family cohesion, and to develop media performance on the grounds of professionalism, excellence, creativity, responsible freedom, and abidance by professional ethics without harming others’ rights. SMC furthermore aims to enhance competitiveness of media in the Emirate with other media, as well as with other disciplines associated with the corporation’s activities, or any assignments it is entrusted with by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.


Emirates

Emirates connects people and places around the globe, inspiring travel and facilitating trade in over 150 destinations in 84 countries and territories. On-board its modern and efficient fleet of over 260 aircraft, Emirates offers award-winning comfort and service, delivered by friendly cabin crew representing over 135 nationalities. Today, Emirates operates the world’s largest fleets of the iconic A380 and popular Boeing 777s. On the ground, Emirates connects millions of people each year through its other operations including Emirates Holidays, its destination marketing arm, and tour operator Arabian Adventures. Seamless trade connections are supported through Emirates SkyCargo, its cargo division.


Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The role of the chamber is represented in cooperation and coordination with the concerned establishments and bodies and the chambers of commerce and its federations in and out of the country with the aim of serving the members and growing and developing their trade relations in addition to enhancement of economic activity while moving to higher and better standard. The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry while moving to the end of its fourth decade and despite its short period of time has accomplished as an independent establishment many achievements and objects in organizing many matters of trade, industry and professions. The chamber due to the nature of its work has given many points of views and ideas on economic matters, reflected the ideas of the private sector establishments, made many proposals about setting of economic projects and legislations related to commercial and industrial affairs and contributed in the collection of information and data, making statistics and studying the fields sharing in its activation, protection and launching investment opportunities to it. The role of the chamber extends to protection of its members by making them known internally and externally, facilitating their trade dealings that include the attestation of certificates of origin, the invoices of goods, sponsors’ certificates, financial ability, verifying signatures of companies registered owners and their representatives and other types of trade and industrial certificates. The chamber has also resolved their commercial disputes and differences through reconciliation and even commercial arbitration in addition to its effective participation in identifying trade customs and nomination of experts and representatives to study trade and industry related matters. The chamber as part of its believe in the importance of direct meetings between all economic sectors has made economic conferences, exhibitions and international bazaars, receiving international commercial delegations that include businessmen, economists, sending trade delegations out of the country and keenness to open trade centres and setting trade exhibitions for Sharjah in some friendly states in addition to economic and investment promotion and encouraging countries to establish trade centres and permanent exhibitions in the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular.


AGMC BMW

AGMC is the official BMW Group importer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. Established in 1976, AGMC has now become one of the most important markets for BMW Group Middle East. Currently, AGMC has 26 sales and service facilities across Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. These include four BMW showrooms, four MINI Showrooms, two Rolls-Royce showrooms, three Certified Pre-Owned car showrooms under the BMW Premium Selection Programme and one BMW Motorrad showroom. Service facilities include two body shops, seven workshops and two car storage facilities and the only Rolls-Royce dedicated state-of-the-art aftersales facility.

To learn more on AGMC’s news please visit the company website:www.bmw-dubai.com or join their Facebook page onwww.facebook.com/BMWAGMC .

Aims of the Conference

The aims of this conference are threefold:

To recognize women as agents of change in peace and recovery processes, and the need for a gender responsive development approach;
To capitalize on the importance of a coordinated effort in development and peacebuilding planning, including partnerships across sectors, and gender equality as an integral part of all plans, policies and programmes which are aimed at empowering, protecting and supporting women and girls, including refugees and IDPs, and pursuing practical targeted action that addresses the needs and rights of women and girls.

Aims of the Conference

The aims of this conference are threefold:

To underscore the importance of the protection of refugee children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa Region;
To highlight the specific protection risks and vulnerabilities that refugee children and adolescents are facing, and how these may best be addressed; and
To stress the importance of existing partnerships between governments, civil society and international agencies, and to examine how new partnerships can help to address the needs of refugee children.

  • SpeakersSpeakers
    Conference Host, Ms Zeina Yaziji, Sky News Arabia His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al ...
    KNOW MORE
  • Youth ForumYouth Forum
    The objective of the forum was to engage the youth from the region in understanding ...
    KNOW MORE
  • Policy ForumPolicy Forum
    The Policy Forum explored through presentations, plenary and group discussion the importance of protecting refugee ...
    KNOW MORE

The League of Arab States

The League of Arab States is a regional organization that has 22 Arab states members from both Asia and Africa continents. It was established in 1945 through “The Charter of the League of Arab States” that was declared on 22 March of the same year. Its Charter states on the coordination between member states in the economic, social, cultural, health, educational, military, media and national security affairs. These include commercial relationships, communication, and nationalities, among many other activities. The League of Arab States has 3 councils as follows: League Council, Economic and Social Council, and Ministerial Council. Moreover, the League of Arab States has established several specialized subsidiary organizations that serve member states in all fields. Furthermore, there are several offices that belong to the League of Arab States and are widely spread in many countries around the globe to represent the League in all international events. Cairo city, is the headquarters of the League of Arab States. Arabic is its official language. And, its current Secretary-General is Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

NAMA Women Advancement Establishment

Launched under the Emiri Decree (107/2015) issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Alqasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. NAMA is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.

Our core philosophy at NAMA is to raise awareness that women are an indispensable human resource for the development of every nation. NAMA was conceived to go beyond the remit of supporting women and ensuring gender equality to a broader scope that aims to see women become influential key members of society, thereby enabling them to climb the ladder of success. It encourages policies and legislation to support women and actively pursues programmes that support gender integration into all sectors and abolishes unjust practices and policies that discrimate against the advancement of women.

The United Nations Children’s Fund

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. In all of its work, UNICEF takes a life-cycle based approach, recognizing the particular importance of early childhood development and adolescence. UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation.

United Nations Development Programme

For over 50 years, UNDP has been supporting the Egyptian government and people in their efforts to reduce poverty and to promote sustainable human development policies. One of the hallmarks of UNDP Egypt’s success is its long-term support to the Government in building and sustaining strategic national institutions that have added significant value to improving people’s lives in the country.

UN-Women

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.

SOS Children’s Villages

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) enshrines the right to education for all children regardless of their gender, race, nationality and background. It is the responsibility of states to ensure access to quality education for all children. However, 67 million primary-school-age children are still denied the right to education, as many as 115 million children of primary-school-age are not enrolled in school and illiteracy rates are highest amongst females . In the Arab States the primary net enrolment ratio increased from 77 per cent in 1999 to 86 percent in 2010. Despite this progress, five million children of primary-school-age are still out of school . The most marginalized people are left behind, with girls and people living in rural areas suffering the most. SOS Children’s Villages works within the framework of the UNCRC, The United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – all of which have highlighted the importance of providing quality education for all children as a basic human right. Informed by these international normative frameworks, SOS Children’s Villages Strategy 2030 aims to promote access to quality education, strengthen youth employability and end violence against children, amongst many other initiatives.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee

The primary purpose at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is to safeguard the rights and well-being of people who have been forced to flee their homes. Together with partners and communities, UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another country. UNHCR also strives to secure lasting solutions. For over half a century, UNHCR has helped millions of people to restart their lives including refugees, returnees, stateless people, the internally displaced and asylum-seekers. UNHCR’s protection, shelter, health and education innervations have been crucial, healing broken pasts and building brighter futures.

ENOC

Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) L.L.C. is a leading integrated global oil and gas player operating across the energy sector value chain. A wholly owned company of the Government of Dubai, ENOC was initially established in 1993. The ENOC Group comprises more than 30 related subsidiaries involved in refining, lubricant blending, storage, aviation and retail.

TILAL

Tilal properties is a joint venture between Sharjah Asset Management and Eskan Real Estate Development LLC to focus on the establishment, development and management of real estate projects in Sharjah. Tilal Properties plans to develop a series of high-quality real estate projects in Sharjah.

Sharjah Government Media Bureau

Sharjah Government Media Bureau is the speaker and listener on behalf of Sharjah on the local, regional and international media landscapes. Established under the direction, guidance, and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Alqasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, it is the official conduit responsible for all media and communication activities related to Sharjah’s governing bodies and the emirate as a whole. An independent body, Sharjah Government Media Bureau empowers government communication and encourages the communication of uniform messages. It adopts a mature and responsible strategy inspired by the wisdom of His Highness, the Ruler of Sharjah, which is consistent with the UAE’s federal media policy and regulations, and adherent to the Emirate’s authentic culture.


Haykal Media

Founded in 2004 by Abdulsalam Haykal, our company creates platforms for businesses to deliver their messages. This is done through our media products, that include Harvard Business Review Arabia, Popular Science Arabia, MIT Technology Review Arabia, and others, along with our content creation services that help companies deliver well crafted messages to their audiences, with the help of our events and conferences division, that brings along the content and community together. Haykal Media works to fill gaps in the good quality Arabic content space. Through our publications we aim to support the empowerment and enablement efforts in the Arab world, increasing access to knowledge for Arabs across the region. Each of our publications sits at the centre of the ecosystem that it covers, and builds a community of engaged constituents. We believe that trusted, well produced content is the keystone of our work, Haykal Media is based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with offices and affiliates in Riyadh, Cairo, Damascus, and Beirut.

Sharjah Media Corporation

Sharjah Media Corporation (SMC), a government organisation dedicated to developing the media industry in the Emirate of Sharjah, was established by Emiri Decree No.25 of 2009. SMC aims to develop national media cadres capable of keeping abreast with requirements for development by utilising the best expertise and successful experience of public and private media institutions in coordination with relevant bodies. It also aims to reinforce the media’s role in family building and maintaining family cohesion, and to develop media performance on the grounds of professionalism, excellence, creativity, responsible freedom, and abidance by professional ethics without harming others’ rights. SMC furthermore aims to enhance competitiveness of media in the Emirate with other media, as well as with other disciplines associated with the corporation’s activities, or any assignments it is entrusted with by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.


Emirates

Emirates connects people and places around the globe, inspiring travel and facilitating trade in over 150 destinations in 84 countries and territories. On-board its modern and efficient fleet of over 260 aircraft, Emirates offers award-winning comfort and service, delivered by friendly cabin crew representing over 135 nationalities. Today, Emirates operates the world’s largest fleets of the iconic A380 and popular Boeing 777s. On the ground, Emirates connects millions of people each year through its other operations including Emirates Holidays, its destination marketing arm, and tour operator Arabian Adventures. Seamless trade connections are supported through Emirates SkyCargo, its cargo division.


Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The role of the chamber is represented in cooperation and coordination with the concerned establishments and bodies and the chambers of commerce and its federations in and out of the country with the aim of serving the members and growing and developing their trade relations in addition to enhancement of economic activity while moving to higher and better standard. The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry while moving to the end of its fourth decade and despite its short period of time has accomplished as an independent establishment many achievements and objects in organizing many matters of trade, industry and professions. The chamber due to the nature of its work has given many points of views and ideas on economic matters, reflected the ideas of the private sector establishments, made many proposals about setting of economic projects and legislations related to commercial and industrial affairs and contributed in the collection of information and data, making statistics and studying the fields sharing in its activation, protection and launching investment opportunities to it. The role of the chamber extends to protection of its members by making them known internally and externally, facilitating their trade dealings that include the attestation of certificates of origin, the invoices of goods, sponsors’ certificates, financial ability, verifying signatures of companies registered owners and their representatives and other types of trade and industrial certificates. The chamber has also resolved their commercial disputes and differences through reconciliation and even commercial arbitration in addition to its effective participation in identifying trade customs and nomination of experts and representatives to study trade and industry related matters. The chamber as part of its believe in the importance of direct meetings between all economic sectors has made economic conferences, exhibitions and international bazaars, receiving international commercial delegations that include businessmen, economists, sending trade delegations out of the country and keenness to open trade centres and setting trade exhibitions for Sharjah in some friendly states in addition to economic and investment promotion and encouraging countries to establish trade centres and permanent exhibitions in the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular.


AGMC BMW

AGMC is the official BMW Group importer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. Established in 1976, AGMC has now become one of the most important markets for BMW Group Middle East. Currently, AGMC has 26 sales and service facilities across Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. These include four BMW showrooms, four MINI Showrooms, two Rolls-Royce showrooms, three Certified Pre-Owned car showrooms under the BMW Premium Selection Programme and one BMW Motorrad showroom. Service facilities include two body shops, seven workshops and two car storage facilities and the only Rolls-Royce dedicated state-of-the-art aftersales facility.

To learn more on AGMC’s news please visit the company website:www.bmw-dubai.com or join their Facebook page onwww.facebook.com/BMWAGMC .