Queen's childhood advocacy efforts recognised at global event

AMMAN – Her Majesty Queen Rania on Thursday was presented an award by Queen Silvia of Sweden for her work in advocating children’s rights in Jordan and the world at the World Childhood Foundation event in New York. 

Introducing Her Majesty at the awards dinner, UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson underlined Queen Rania’s longtime commitment to children’s rights, and her support for the work of the UN. He also gave special tribute to Jordan, a country that has taken in hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees despite limited resources.  

In her acceptance speech, Her Majesty said that there is no second chance at childhood. 

“With what we have…and who we know… we must all do what we can to keep the youngest members of our global family safe,” Her Majesty said.

At a dinner banquet, Queen Rania praised Queen Silvia’s foundation, the World Childhood Foundation, and its efforts to provide a better life for thousands of children worldwide. 

“Your foundation represents the hope of a better life” she said, adding, “whether it’s helping refugee children in Germany better integrate, providing children in Ukraine with after-school support… the World Childhood Foundation is a lifeline for children in need.” 

The Queen noted that millions more children around the world need urgent help because “no country or culture is immune from the trauma of child abuse… violence… or neglect.”

Queen Rania acknowledged the work that the Jordan River Foundation does to protect children from abuse in Jordan, saying that the organisation "has pioneered innovative protection and prevention programmes to support children in danger”.

In her speech, Her Majesty highlighted the reality of children in areas of conflict: “I can’t think of a child in greater need of protection than a child caught in conflict, especially, a girl.” 

She added: “Yet, around the world, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, in South Sudan and more, millions of children witness scenes no child should ever see…and experience terror on a scale we can’t even imagine.”

Her Majesty told the audience that “extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures,” and urged them, “on behalf of the children, whose cries are silenced by bullets, brutality, barbed wire or barricades, let each of us raise our voices and urge global leaders to put children first.”

Queen Silvia of Sweden co-founded the World Childhood Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of children that has, since its inception in 1999, awarded over $100 million to projects globally.