Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation’s Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar joins Generation Unlimited Board
The Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation CEO brings expertise in philanthropic capital and systems change to strengthen pathways from learning to earning for young people.
NEW YORK, 1 JUNE – Generation Unlimited (GenU), UNICEF’s Public-Private-Youth Partnership for youth skilling and livelihoods, today announced the appointment of Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, Chief Executive Officer of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), to its Board.
Dr Ben Jaafar brings extensive experience in philanthropic investment, education, and systems change to GenU’s mission of connecting young people to market-relevant learning, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Her appointment strengthens GenU’s ability to accelerate pathways from learning to earning at a time of rapid economic and technological change.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr Ben Jaafar to the GenU Board,” said Kevin Frey, CEO of Generation Unlimited. “Her leadership and insights on how philanthropic capital can help build resilient, inclusive systems for young people will be invaluable as we scale practical solutions at a moment of both disruption and opportunity.”
Dr Ben Jaafar, also a member of the GenU Global Leadership Council, is an award-winning global leader in education and strategic philanthropy. In a career spanning more than 20 years, she has led initiatives that expand access to quality education and strengthen the skills young people need to thrive in fast-changing labour markets across the Middle East and North Africa and beyond.
“Young people are not short on ambition,” said Dr Ben Jaafar. “Across the world, they are pursuing education, building skills, and adapting to profound change. What too many lack is a reliable pathway from learning into earning opportunities and meaningful participation. Generation Unlimited matters because it brings governments, philanthropy, business, and young people together to close that distance with practical, system-level solutions.”
As a member of the GenU Board, Dr Ben Jaafar will join other global leaders to guide the partnership’s strategic direction, support long-term sustainability, and champion scalable solutions that expand skilling and livelihood opportunities for young people worldwide.
In her role as CEO of AGF, Dr Ben Jaafar has helped advance systemic reforms that bridge education and employment, with a strong focus on inclusion, digital readiness, and resilience.
A recent example of this work includes AGF’s partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Egypt to support the national Shabab Balad initiative (Generation Unlimited in Egypt) to build integrated pathways in education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship for young Egyptians.
Dr Ben Jaafar holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and a Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies from the University of Toronto.
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About Generation Unlimited
Generation Unlimited is on a mission to skill the world’s 1.8 billion young people and connect them to opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. Launched at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, the world’s first public-private-youth partnership is anchored in UNICEF. The partnership brings together global organizations and leaders with young people to co-create and deliver, on a global scale, innovative solutions to the challenges that youth face.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and well-being of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org
About Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation
Established in 2015, the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF) has redefined education philanthropy in the Arab region, empowering Emirati and Arab youth to access quality learning, meaningful employment, and opportunities for leadership. Together with the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund, AGF has reached more than 433,000 young people, building pathways that turn learning into earning and opportunity into lasting impact.
