Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women Participates in AidEx 2026 in Geneva
Under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Nation,” Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and Chairwoman of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, the Fund organised a high-level panel discussion during its participation in “AidEx 2026” in Geneva on 21 and 22 October, within the pavilion of the UAE Agency for International Aid.
The session, titled “The Missing Link: From Skills Development to Sustainable Income, Community Contribution and Long-Term Impact for Refugee Women,” was inspired by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s humanitarian vision, which affirms that refugees are not merely recipients of humanitarian assistance, but individuals with the capabilities and potential to contribute effectively to the development of their communities and economies.
The session focused on a central challenge: although many refugee women benefit from opportunities for education, training and skills development, significant barriers continue to prevent them from translating these skills into sustainable employment, stable sources of income and economic independence.
The discussions brought together perspectives from representatives of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, UN Women, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Greater Geneva Economic Development Authority, the Amahoro Coalition, AD Ports Group and UAE Aid to explore ways to harness strategic partnerships to bridge this gap.
Participants addressed the importance of women’s physical and mental health, refugee protection, preparation for the labour market, stronger private sector engagement, entrepreneurship and access to sustainable livelihoods. The session also highlighted the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women’s commitment to translating Her Highness’s vision into practical programmes and strategic partnerships that help address the challenges and barriers facing refugee women.
Her Excellency Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairwoman of the Higher Committee of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, said that the Fund’s participation in the exhibition and its organisation of the panel discussion, “The Missing Link: From Skills Development to Sustainable Income, Community Contribution and Long-Term Impact for Refugee Women,” formed part of its efforts to present Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s vision. This vision is based on several principles, foremost among them investing in refugee women through education and training, enabling them to become economic contributors and participants in achieving sustainable development. It also emphasises the need to update data and information on refugees so that responses reflect realities on the ground, use this data as a reference for planning and implementation, and conduct further studies to assess refugees’ circumstances and needs, particularly those of women and children.
Al Shamsi added that sustainability is an important aspect of strengthening refugee women’s capabilities. This can be achieved through development projects that begin by drawing on refugees’ abilities, experience and expertise and integrating them into economic, educational, health and environmental activities. This enables them to participate in designing initiatives and projects and to implement them with dedication and sustainability. This vision therefore serves as a framework for designing humanitarian initiatives and projects that invest in refugee women’s potential and skills and support them in building a better future for themselves and their families.
The private sector’s role in connecting skills development with employment opportunities, job security and career progression was a central focus of the discussions.
The Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women presented a proposed pathway for employment and enhanced job security in cooperation with AD Ports Group. The pathway aims to explore mechanisms for connecting refugee women who possess suitable skills and qualifications with employment opportunities aligned with business requirements and applicable laws and regulations.
Rashed Al Hameli, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Emiratisation at AD Ports Group, said: “We look forward to working with the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women to create new, practical pathways that open broader opportunities for refugee women, reflecting AD Ports Group’s firm commitment to enhancing diversity across its global workforce and supporting its operations in more than 50 countries worldwide.”
He added: “Drawing on our global presence and diverse businesses across the ports, logistics, maritime and trade sectors, we will explore new ways to offer refugee women opportunities to join AD Ports Group’s workforce and benefit from training programmes, career mentoring and employment opportunities, supporting their professional development and delivering added value to the Group.”
The session also highlighted the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women’s cooperation with the Amahoro Coalition to connect skills development with employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods across Africa.
The prospective five-year partnership commitment, aimed at supporting 10,000 refugee women across Africa, represents an opportunity to explore more effective mechanisms for linking training programmes to tangible and measurable economic outcomes.
The two proposed pathways with AD Ports Group and the Amahoro Coalition reflect the Fund’s strategic approach to addressing the “missing link” through integrated models combining employment and entrepreneurship. Any specific employment targets will be announced through formal agreements between the relevant partners.
The discussions concluded by emphasising the importance of moving beyond measuring the number of refugee women benefiting from training programmes to focusing on long-term outcomes, including access to economic opportunities, sustainable income, employment stability and continuity, improved well-being and active contributions to society. Through a statement or agreement among international partners on shared challenges, the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Her Highness’s vision through stronger cooperation, innovation and sustainable development.
The session formed part of the Fund’s broader participation in “AidEx 2026” through the UAE Aid pavilion, which provided an international platform to highlight the Fund’s humanitarian and development efforts and strengthen partnerships supporting refugee women.
Inspired by Her Highness’s vision, the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women works to strengthen the protection and empowerment of refugee women through humanitarian assistance, capacity building, strategic partnerships and sustainable development initiatives.
