The UN Millennium Development Goals are set to end in less than a year and the world is still grappling with finding a solution to most of them . MDG 1 deals with poverty alleviation and this remains the number one priority for policy makers , governments and civil society. The challenges are compounded by the fact that millions of people are pushed beyond the poverty line as refugees and driven from their homeland to live a life of misery.

According to some reports , there are in excess of 51 million refugees worldwide , the highest since World War II . A large percentage of this are children who face a bleak future of depravation, poverty and even early death. To address these issues a 2 day conference titled ?Investing In the Future? was held on 15^th and 16^th October in Sharjah , United Arab Emirates organized by UNHCR in partnership with The Big Heart under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi , the Ruler of Sharjah. I had the privilege of attending this high level UN summit.

Inaugurating the conference HH Shaikh Qasimi requested for the implementation of urgent strategies to help refugee children, especially the thousands being displaced daily due to the ongoing regional conflict. Queen Rania of Jordan echoed these sentiments, reiterating the need for an urgent political solution and the immediate disbursement of aid for the 1.8 million refugee children, so as to protect them from sexual exploitation, child labour and illiteracy.

The magnitude of this humanitarian crisis can be assessed from the fact that every 30 seconds, 35 children around the world become refugees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Antonio Guterres , stated that all countries need to share this burden and especially requested Syria?s neighbors to open their borders to help the refugees.

The conference had several forums which actively involved youth panelists from the region as well locally. The outcome echoed by all of them called for protection of children from exploitation and the urgent need for providing education without any kind of gender bias. It was reinforced that education was the key towards empowerment of the refugee children. The assembled youth felt that the refugee crisis needs a humane solution and must be addressed without any pre-conditions.

The Future Generations deserve a better life and its time that all stakeholders rise above their petty differences and provide a lasting solution that is sustainable and humane. Human life , especially those of children, cannot be trifled with and there must be tangible actions to ?Invest in the Future?.