UAE minister Reem Al Hashimy honoured by Bill Gates as 'champion for child survival'

Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation, has been honoured by philanthropist Bill Gates for her work in championing and protecting children's rights.

The recognition came on Monday at the 2025 Goalkeepers event in New York, hosted by the Bill Gates Foundation, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Ms Al Hashimy was named a Goalkeepers Champion for her work as chairwoman of Dubai Cares, a UAE-based global philanthropic organisation committed to improving access to education in developing countries.

“Every child embodies a promise for the future; a promise we must nurture together with purpose and determination," Ms Al Hashimy told The National. "This recognition is a profound honour and reflects the UAE’s unwavering commitment to advancing opportunities for the most vulnerable."

Ms Al Hashimy was one of several honoured, including former footballer David Beckham for his malaria advocacy with the UN children's fund, author John Green for sparking global conversations on tuberculosis and mental health, and leading health innovators from India, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria for their work in advancing children's health.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was named the winner of the 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award for his "continued commitment to advance the [foundation's] Global Goals".

This year's annual event focused on reigniting a shared commitment to saving children’s lives, said Mr Gates, who announced his foundation’s pledge of $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, urging governments and donors to match the ambition.

The event also comes at a critical time for global health funding. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, international development assistance for health fell by 21 per cent between 2024 and 2025 – its lowest level in 15 years.

Mr Gates warned that without urgent action, decades of progress in reducing child mortality could be at risk.

“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realise, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” said Mr Gates. “I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible."

Amid steep funding cuts, the Goalkeepers event highlighted the people, innovations and policies that are offering hope and accelerating solutions - Ms Al Hashimy being one of them.

"We are proud to stand with our global partners to champion solutions that ensure every child, everywhere, can learn, grow, and realise their full potential," she said.