DUBAI // Health and education chiefs have called in experts from the United Nations children’s organisation to persuade young people to lead healthy lifestyles.
The Unicef initiative is the latest attempt to curb worrying levels of obesity and Type 2 diabetes among children.
Nearly 40 per cent of children aged 13 to 15 were overweight and 14.4 per cent were obese in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation. This age group has higher levels of obesity than any other in the UAE.
Experts from Unicef have designed the year-long School Health Education Project, which will be implemented by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, Seha, and the health and education ministries.
The scheme will target children aged 12 to 15 in 18 government schools. It aims to teach school nurses how to convince youngsters about the benefits of eating healthy food and leading an active lifestyle.
Ibrahim El Ziq, the Arabian Gulf area representative for Unicef, said it was vital to get children involved in discussions about their health, rather than just telling them what to do.
“Children want to be part of the discussion. We want to make sure children are part of the solution, not part of the problem,” he said.
Nasser Khalifa Al Budoor, the director of Dubai Medical District and director of the Minister of Health’s Office, said the country must urgently address children’s health problems.
“They need one message from the Government. This is what we are trying to do, inshallah, for our next generation,” he said.
One boys’ school and one girls’ school from each emirate, and from Al Ain and Al Gharbia, will take part in the pilot programme. When that ends next year, organisers will follow up with school nurses to finalise a manual and create a plan of action for all government schools. Eventually, private schools could be encouraged to introduce it too.
Mr El Ziq said the UAE project was similar to programmes in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which are in their early phases.
It could also take lessons from Unicef’s obesity prevention campaign, which used family discussions and focus groups, and the British chef Jamie Oliver’s school-lunch campaign in the UK.
“What we’ve learnt is that it does take time, because changing behaviour is not easy,” he said. “I think the crucial part is that you need to engage the family.”
The programme is also being supported by the telecoms company du. Hala Badri, its vice president of brand and communications, said the project complemented another du health campaign, Every Step Counts, which targeted the population as a whole.
“We are alarmed at the obesity levels and the diabetes levels here within the UAE and the wider region, and we would like to take a step towards at least educating and bringing it to the attention of the kids … and change their lifestyles,” she said.
Seha Ambulatory Healthcare Services and Abu Dhabi Education Council already operate a continuing-education course to improve school nurses’ understanding of issues that affect schoolchildren’s health. More than 400 public school nurses are expected to attend training sessions.
lcarroll@thenational.ae
THE SPECS
Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 429hp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh360,200 (starting)
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 390bhp
Torque: 400Nm
Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
