Queen of Jordan, Rania al-Abdullah, was named on Friday by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as its first eminent advocate for children, said the fund.

"Her Majesty Queen Rania has been a tireless champion for children," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman, who signed an agreement with the queen at Davos on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Queen Rania will work together with UNICEF and other partners to mobilize resources and develop policy to improve the lives of children, said UNICEF in a statement.

"For the millions of children whose voices are not being heard, let us commit to take a stand, and take a step, and make real strides for child survival and education," said Queen Rania.

"I am convinced that transformational change is just the sum of many small steps -- footprints marking a path ahead where none existed before."

Queen Rania is an active supporter of UNICEF and its programs in Jordan, in the Arab world and globally, said UNICEF.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)