Introduction to the Foundation Khalid Al Qasimi
The Humanitarian Foundation Khalid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi (KSQF), established in 2024 under the presidency of Jequesa Jawaher Al Qasimi, announced its first global initiatives outside the United Arab Emirates to support children in Mexico and Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania.
Named after the late son of Sharjah’s ruler, Sultan Al-Qasimi, a fashion designer and creator of the brand honoring the Emirati royal family’s surname, the foundation aims to protect over 30,000 at-risk girls and boys facing violence, exploitation, and forced displacement.
Collaboration with Global Organizations
These projects, implemented in collaboration with leading global organizations — Save the Children International in Tanzania and Plan International in Mexico — aim to create safer environments for children while strengthening local capabilities for long-term child protection.
The announcement of these initiatives reflects the foundation’s awareness of urgent and changing threats faced by children worldwide, such as abuse, abandonment, exploitation, and trafficking. It marks a significant step in the foundation’s mission.
According to UNICEF and UNODC reports, one in five children aged 5-17 years in low-income countries engages in forced or hazardous labor. Moreover, the number of globally identified child trafficking victims has increased by 31% in recent years, making specific intervention a humanitarian imperative.
Key Initiatives: “Guardians of Childhood” in Mexico and Support for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Zanzibar
Guardians of Childhood in Mexico
Mexico, one of the countries with the highest rates of human trafficking, sees the Foundation Al Qasimi and Plan International implementing the “Guardians of Childhood” project in Tapachula, Mexico City, and Ciudad Juárez.
This initiative addresses the massive increase in unaccompanied child migrants, rising from approximately 69,500 in 2019 to over 137,000 in 2023 due to escalating violence, poverty, and climate-related displacement.
- Direct support for 7,000 migrant children, adolescents
- Indirect benefits for over 15,000 through awareness and community development activities
The project combines safe spaces, mobile health units, psychological first aid, financial and emotional support for families, as well as training community members to become active agents of change in child protection and raise awareness about trafficking and exploitation.
A Plan International study based on 155 interviews with migrant children and their caregivers in Ciudad Juárez, Reynosa, and Tijuana revealed that while two-thirds of migrant children started their journey with a parent, only one-third arrived in Mexico with an adult companion. This increased their vulnerability to gender-based violence, forced recruitment, and other forms of exploitation during their journey.
Support for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Zanzibar
In Zanzibar, where rising gender-based violence endangers children, particularly girls, the Foundation, in collaboration with Save the Children, is launching an integrated support program through two existing Integrated Care Centers in Unguja’s Jitimai Hospital and Pemba’s Abdalla Mzee Hospital.
The “Expansion of Support Services for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence” project will provide essential medical, psychological, and legal services to at least 1,000 survivors. An additional 10,000 people will benefit from awareness campaigns and integrated community services.
National reports indicate that 1 in 10 boys and 1 in 20 girls in Zanzibar experience sexual violence before adulthood, with nearly 30% of girls affected before turning 18. A 2023 report by the Chief Statistician’s Office of the Government recorded 162 incidents of gender-based violence, with 81.5% of victims being children.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Foundation Khalid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi? It’s a humanitarian organization established in 2024, aiming to protect at-risk children worldwide through integrated and inclusive approaches.
- Which countries are the initiatives focused on? The projects target children in Mexico and Zanzibar, addressing issues like trafficking, exploitation, and gender-based violence.
- What organizations is the Foundation collaborating with? The Foundation is partnering with Save the Children International in Tanzania and Plan International in Mexico.
- What are the key initiatives? The “Guardians of Childhood” project in Mexico supports unaccompanied migrant children, while the “Expansion of Support Services for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence” project in Zanzibar aids survivors and raises community awareness.
