Mohammed forms Gender Balance Council

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,  Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the forming of the 'UAE Gender Balance Council,' a federal entity chaired by President of Dubai Women Establishment Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, wife of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The new body aims to boost UAE’s efforts to evolve and enhance women’s role as key partners in building the future of the nation.

Sheikh Mohammed declared the forming of the council while visiting 'Toward Gender Balance in Governments,' a plenary session chaired by Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed during the second day of the Government Summit in Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,  Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and  Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed his pride that the UAE is hosting this inductive dialogue on one of the most important issues concerning woman and contributes in granting her equal rights as equal partner.

Sheikh Mohammed said: "I am happy to be part of this discussion. We, in the United Arab Emirates, are keen to enable woman and put her in the right position. What we had discussed in this session will not end here. Therefore, I declare the forming of the UAE Gender Balance Council chaired by Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed."

Expressing her profound appreciation for his unlimited support, Sheikha Manal said that Sheikh Mohammed has always been a strong defender of women’s rights, believed in her capabilities and viewed her as original element in UAE’s formula for development. Sheikh Manal bin Mohammed thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his directives to form the council and expressed gratitude for his precious trust put in her to chair a specialised centre endeavouring to achieve more equity between genders and carrying the legacy of the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a man that set example for empowering women and unleashing her potentials.

Sheikh Manal said the success of the Emirati women is the reap of Sheikh Zayed’s sow and the fruit of the efforts of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

President of Dubai Women Establishment asserted that the work will commence immediately to draft and articulate the new council’s frameworks, processes and strategies towards achieving the aspiring vision of our leadership. 

While chairing 'Toward Gender Balance in Governments' plenary session, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed lauded UAE’s leadership for the care and support provided for women in various aspects of life. She said that equity between genders is a key element for societies’ success and prosperity and a prerequisite to achieve happiness, security and stability of its members.

Addressing a host of regional and international senior officials, Sheikha Manal said that the UAE has gone far in empowering women, quoting  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum: "We have moved beyond the phase of empowering women. Indeed, we are empowering society through women".

Sheikh Manal Said: "The impact of a significant female presence in leadership roles has wide-ranging benefits on the economy, on governance, and on society at large. The UAE has always worked to dismantle barriers that create tension between the genders. We have a great opportunity to uncover new paths that we may walk on together".

Sheikh Manal  also lauded the endless efforts of Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union and of the Family Development Foundation. She said that our greatest teacher and pioneer is the Mother of our Nation, wife of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak. She worked alongside her husband and helped him shoulder the heavy responsibilities of building our nation.

'Toward Gender Balance in Governments' discussed number of important issues through three discussion panels. The session highlighted the significant role of Emirati women in developing the country and leadership’s approach in empowering women and engaging her in all aspects, including UAE’s international competitiveness. The session further discussed the balance between home and work, the overwhelming social and cultural patterns and the legislations related to achieving balance between genders.

Mohammed inspects innovation platform

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that innovation in governments will change the way of our thinking and open up new horizons for all government departments as well as strengthen the stature of the Government of the UAE, putting it at the forefront of the most innovative governments globally.

Sheikh Mohammed said, "I have full confidence that our employees will be able to transform their ideas into reality to draw the features of our future life together."

Sheikh Mohammed made these remarks while inspecting the biggest government innovation platform supervised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation which came as part of the 3rd edition of the Government Summit that started on Monday in Dubai under the logo ‘Shaping Future Governments.’

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The platform, organised for the first time, enables the participants in the summit to familiarise themselves with the most important tools, means and special strategies to enhance innovation in the government departments. It also reflects the UAE's efforts in the field of launching a number of initiatives and events to implement the directives of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to announce 2015 as the year of Innovation. This also came within the national strategy of innovation launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. 

The platform hosted a number of inspiring and short meetings featuring an elite of international and regional experts, along with participation by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which showcased innovative models from various countries around the world such as Georgia, Haiti and Moldova.

The sessions also tackled a host of Emirati innovations such as the Smart Inspection System adopted by the Ministry of Labour which depends on a number of e-smart procedures that contribute to improving procedures and facilitate smart search and other services.

A number of representatives of government and private sectors, in addition to field experts, participated in the innovation platform which was aimed at finding innovative solutions for problems in each field.

During the tour, Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development,  Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs and President of the organising committee of the Government Summit, Lt. General Misbah bin Rashid AI Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice-President and Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai.

Mohammed receives Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Tuesday received Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, who is currently participating in the 3rd Government Summit 2015.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the event, was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

During the meeting, the parties discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them at all levels. KRG Prime Minister conveyed greetings of Massoud Barzani, President of the Iraqi Kurdish region, wishing him good health and permanent progress, welfare and prosperity to the UAE's leadership, government and people.

They also tackled the agenda of the Government Summit and its role in developing government performance in the region's countries, stressing that Iraqi Kurdistan region is always striving to take advantage of Dubai's pioneering experience in the administrative, technological and service fields.

Among those who attended the meeting were Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai International Marine Club,  Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs and chairman of the organising committee of the Government Summit, Lt. General Misbah bin Rashid AI Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice-President, and Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai.
 
Mohammed attends launch of GEMS Education initiative

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has attended the launch of GEMS Education, an initiative by The Arab Innovation Centre for Education, on the sideline of the 3rd Government Summit 2015, running from  February 9-11.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid was briefed on the first of its kind initiative in the region, in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Organising Committee of Government Summit.

The Arab Innovation Centre will offer a platform for research to promote international best practices in the field of innovation and education and will incubate emerging business projects developed by UAE nationals in the education sector. It will also serve as an environment that allows young Emiratis and GEMS students, interested in the education field to showcase their entrepreneurship skills as well as the practical implementation of their ideas.

The President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan last year announced 2015 as the 'Year of innovation,' in line with plans to make the country a world leader in the field which will help boost research, attract national skills, and develop future leaders in the UAE.
 

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