Strata sponsors ‘Gender Hub’ of joint UAE-UNIDO Exhibition

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO, and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, today announced that Strata Manufacturing, the advanced composite aero-structures manufacturing company wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, will sponsor the "Gender Hub", The event will be organised by the UAE at the joint UAE-UNIDO Exhibition during the eighteenth Session of UNIDO's General Conference, GC, from 3rd to 7th November, 2019, at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

Strata will highlight the vital role of women in the manufacturing sector.

The "Gender Hub" marks a significant contribution to gender, one of the conference’s key focus areas. Delegates will discuss potential pathways in the creation of new legal frameworks regarding gender equality in the workplace, and the eradication of biased practices targeted at women, both crucial elements in ending gender-based discrimination that is prevalent in many countries around the world.

Strata will hold discussions around the importance of equality in the industry while showcasing how women are driving the manufacturing of composite aircrafts parts in the organisation and sharing best practices on how women are leading the aerospace sector.

The UAE has become a global example of gender equality. At present, 23,000 Emirati businesswomen run projects worth over AED50 billion and occupy 15 percent of the positions on the boards of chambers of commerce and industry nationwide.

In 2015, the "Gender Balance Council" was established, to give women equal opportunities in the public sector while supporting the UAE’s global efforts in advocating "gender markers" and other measures to promote the involvement of women and girls in the UN system.

Also, a "Gender Inequality Index for Government Sector" for the UAE was initiated, alongside a framework to consolidate the efforts of various government entities to boost the country's efforts to evolve and enhance women's role as key partners in building the future of the nation. As a result, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2017, the UAE ranked second among Arab countries for gender parity, coming first in literacy and second for wage equality for similar work.

Strata Manufacturing has participated in programmes and initiatives that empower the youth to enrol in STEM education. In March, they joined the nationwide outreach programme to further empower UAE youth contributing to "Think Science" and the "Tawteen 360 Student Forum", both championing the efforts to equally include both male and female students.

The company also established the "Composite Aerostructures Training Programme" that equips students with the necessary skills to manufacture aircraft parts made out of composites, contributing to Strata’s vision of becoming a global aero-structures manufacturer, meeting the objectives of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 to create a diversified and a knowledge-based economy. By 2018, the programme has graduated more than 300 Emirati students.

As a result of a committed Emiratisation drive, UAE nationals account for more than half of the Strata Manufacturing workforce, of which 86 percent are women. Strata is also a strategic partner to Mubadala’s "Train for Work" and "Muthabra" programme, which develops and trains the skills of Emirati.

Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata Manufacturing, said, "An inclusive and skilled workforce has long been a strategic priority that has led to Strata’s growth and success in the aerospace industry. Strata strongly believes in the power of talent, irrespective of gender, and thus we continue to onboard colleagues based on skills and abilities who share our passion for manufacturing."

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