Sheikh Sultan declares Sharjah 'Baby and Family Friendly' city

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, officially declared the emirate of Sharjah a "Baby and Family Friendly" emirate, marking an important milestone in its ongoing journey to strengthen a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for children and families.

A milestone reflecting Sharjah’s Family-centred vision

This announcement represents the culmination of Sharjah’s continuous efforts in implementing comprehensive, family-focused policies across various sectors, based on the standards of the Sharjah Baby and Family Friendly accreditation. It further reinforces Sharjah’s status as a leading model in child and family care at the regional level.

The standards of Sharjah Baby and Family Friendly reflect the sustainability of the "Sharjah Child Friendly” project, an initiative launched in 2011.

The project was further developed in 2024 to become the "Sharjah Baby and Family Friendly” accreditation, aimed at promoting a culture of shared responsibility towards family wellbeing across both public and private sectors.

Sharjah has long been a pioneer in providing services dedicated to motherhood and childhood in the United Arab Emirates since the 1950s, becoming the first emirate to establish services for mothers, children, and people of determination.

The emirate’s long-term investment in building a supportive, family-friendly environment is reflected in a wide range of initiatives implemented and enhanced in recent years, including: Providing mother- and child-friendly health facilities across the emirate, family-centred urban planning and public spaces, flexible and supportive parental work policies, creating workplaces, nurseries, and public spaces that support breastfeeding, raising awareness through campaigns and community programmes that promote maternal and child health.

Sharjah also took the lead in extending fully paid maternity leave to 12 weeks and offering additional family-supportive benefits, in addition to introducing the four-day work week to strengthen work-life balance.

Sharjah’s achievements have received broad international recognition. In 2015, it became the first Child-Friendly acknowledged by Unicef and the World Health Organisation, followed by another milestone in 2018 when it was declared the first "Child and Adolescent-Friendly Emirate” by Unicef. Sharjah continued its commitment to Baby-Friendly Cities, renewing its membership in Unicef’s Child-Friendly Cities Initiative in November 2025.

The Emirate of Sharjah continues to strengthen its child and family-friendly framework through comprehensive, community-engaged policies and initiatives aimed at setting new standards for child and family-centred development at both regional and global levels.