H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), has launched the “My Child’s Book” initiative, aimed at encouraging children to make reading a daily habit.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development and coincides with the Month of Reading, marked in the UAE in March, and with the Emirati Children’s Day, celebrated on 15th March, and in line with the National Reading Strategy 2026.

“Reading contributes to shaping the children’s awareness and developing their talents, culture and imagination. It also instils values of tolerance and acceptance of others and leads to building knowledgeable future generations,” Sheikha Fatima said.

She added that the initiative is inspired by the great attention the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, had given to reading.

“The UAE, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has become a global pioneer in institutionalising reading through legislation and policies that enable reading within the community, particularly among children.”

She added that in an unprecedented gesture, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa issued the first-ever National Law of Reading that sets legislative frameworks, executive programmes and specific government responsibilities to establish the value of reading in the UAE.

Sheikha Fatima urged all entities and individuals to dedicate part of their time to reading, to encourage their children to read and to share their experience through social media, using the hashtag #my_child_book .