UAE believes in power of women: Al Marri

UAE Gender Balance Council held a meeting with the European - UAE Human Rights Working Group to exchange ideas and experiences and explore cooperation in the enhancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.  

Mona Al Marri, Vice-President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, led the Council at the meeting, while Rosamaria Gili, Deputy Head for GCC, Yemen and Iraq in the European External Action Service led the European - UAE Human Rights Working Group.

Speaking about the UAE’s experience in women’s empowerment and gender equality, Al Marri said that the country’s government believes in the power of women and the role that they can play in society. Our visionary leadership supports women 100 per cent, she said. They believe that for a society to be productive, it has to utilise the talents and capabilities of women who represent around half of the UAE population.

She recalled the pioneering initiatives undertaken by the late President of the UAE Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in promoting the development of women in the UAE. Without his efforts, she said, women would not have had the opportunities they have today.

Al Marri also praised the role of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood in supporting women’s growth in various fields including education, society and business.

She also highlighted the efforts undertaken by Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, wife of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and President of Dubai Women Establishment to promote women’s empowerment and the participation of women in development.

Al Marri noted that the UAE is a young country that has seen huge positive changes sweeping over its society since its formation in 1971. She recalled that in the year of its formation, when the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan sought to appoint graduates in government positions, he could find only a total of 45 graduates, of which, only four were women. Compared to this, today, women account for 70% of university enrolment. This is a tremendous change that has happened in a short period of time, she said, adding that the high enrolment is an indication of what UAE women can do in the future.

Al Marri pointed out that UAE women are at the forefront of various spheres of life, and are not just playing their roles in the background. She said that the visibly high level of women’s participation in society give expatriates, who have chosen the UAE as their home, a perspective that is very different to the regional stereotypes portrayed in the media.

Women’s development in the UAE is not just a product of government efforts but is being driven through a strong partnership with the private sector, she further said. The government seeks to include the private sector in all the women’s development and empowerment initiatives it undertakes.

The European officials who were part of the delegation had high words of praise for the UAE’s impressive record in women’s empowerment and gender equality. The empowerment of women is “quite striking” in the UAE, a member of the European delegation said. The delegation voiced the opinion that the UAE offers a positive home-grown model for women’s development and empowerment for the region. It is better to create a model for the region that is from the region, the European delegate noted.

Al Marri said that the high priority for women’s development is part of the highly progressive policies of the UAE government, which includes an emphasis on promoting tolerance and harmony, which are fundamental values for the country. The priority on enhancing tolerance and harmony has made the UAE a place of hope and opportunity for the rest of the region.

Also present at the meeting were Dr. Omar Abdul Rahman Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for Policy and Strategy at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Naji Al Hai Mubarak, Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs; and Shamsa Saleh, CEO of the Dubai Women Establishment.

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