UAE leads Arab world in gender equality

The UAE has jumped 23 ranks in the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, 2019 Gender Equality Index, ranking first in the Arab world and 26th globally.

In a series of tweets, H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted the announcement, adding, "I am proud of this accomplishment which emphasises our ability to participate in further defining the future on the world stage."

She went on to note how a clear goal was set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, when establishing the UAE Gender Balance Council in 2015, to place the UAE among the world's top 25 countries in the field of gender balance by 2021.

"We are committed to continue our efforts with our partners to achieve this goal," Her Highness continued.

Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed added, "Achieving this ranking on a renowned global report would not have been possible without the support of our wise leadership and the cooperation of all ministries and institutions to make the Emirati experience in gender balance a model to be followed regionally and internationally."

The Gender Inequality Index, GII, is an index for measurement of gender disparity that was introduced in the 2010 Human Development Report by the UNDP. It measures gender inequalities in three important aspects of human development: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status.

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