Mansour bin Zayed launches National Platform for Gender Balance with participation of local governments

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, launched the “National Platform for Gender Balance.”

This innovative platform serves as a unifying force, providing essential data on gender balance at both federal and local government levels.

The platform's unveiling took place on Tuesday, 7th November, among the secretaries and officials of the executive councils of the UAE and members of the UAE Gender Balance Council (UAE GBC), highlighting the Council's commitment to furthering gender equality within the annual meetings of the UAE government in Abu Dhabi.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour celebrated the remarkable strides made in the realm of gender equality, both on a local and global scale. He applauded the relentless dedication of the UAE GBC, as well as all the ministries and federal agencies, for their collective and unwavering commitment to fulfilling the national aspirations outlined by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Their united efforts stand as a testament to the power of collaboration and determination in achieving positive change, inspiring us all to strive for a more equitable world.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has set a visionary course, directing the UAE GBC to undertake new collaborative endeavours and elevate gender equality within the private and involving it into the National Gender Balance Platform to align its gender balance initiatives with the accomplishments realised in the government sector.

His Highness said, “The private sector is a pivotal partner in perpetuating the UAE’s ongoing development. It has been a dynamic contributor to the UAE’s vision and strategies for many years, and now, we aspire for it to play a vital role in our aim for gender balance, thus elevating the UAE to a global leader in this field.”

His Highness emphasised that the private sector's active involvement in the national initiative for gender balance would harmonise our collective efforts, allowing us to exchange ideas, share experiences, and cultivate benchmarks aligned with international best practices. He continued, “By uniting forces, we are not just pursuing a noble goal; we are setting an example for the world to follow, solidifying the UAE's position as a global leader in the pursuit of gender balance.”

H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, announced that this visionary initiative represents one of many progressive projects actively pursued by the Council. These endeavours are dedicated to strengthening gender balance across the nation, ultimately propelling the UAE among the top five countries globally regarding gender equality, aligning with the "We the UAE 2031" vision.

Initially launched in November last year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, this platform signifies a bold new vision and a national action plan. It paves the way for the UAE’s growth over the next decade, manifesting the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, towards a tangible future in which every corner of the nation contributes to shared success.

Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed emphasised that the platform's role extends to effectively measuring and monitoring gender balance data and projects within federal and local governments. It is being meticulously developed harmoniously with the UAE government's performance system which is globally acclaimed for its data management and governance capabilities. Sheikha Manal commended this system as a pioneering model, a unique approach that combines performance measurement, impact creation, and decision support in collaborative government endeavours, adhering to the best international practices.

The UAE GBC aims to leverage the strengths of this system in its pursuit of crafting impactful and influential policies. These policies will further elevate the global standing of the UAE in the realm of gender equality and contribute to realising the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the fifth goal, which concerns gender balance and the empowerment of women and girls.

Sheikha Manal affirmed, “The national platform for monitoring gender balance performance will be instrumental in fostering a culture of gender balance as an ingrained institutional value within the government sector. Local governments are overflowing with numerous projects and initiatives reinforcing the UAE's distinguished path in gender balance, solidifying its role as a global model in this field.”

Furthermore, Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, emphasised that this platform will function as a powerful instrument for assessing and overseeing gender balance data, initiatives, and accomplishments within the federal government, local administrations, and the private sector. It has been meticulously designed in alignment with the UAE government's performance system for managing and governing performance data indicators. These projects are integral to the UAE GBC's endeavours to leverage them in formulating and advancing influential policies that bolster the UAE's global standing in this domain.

Al Marri highlighted that the collaborative workshops introduced a framework for measuring the gender balance index's results at the federal government level and explored how it can be applied to local government environments. Developing performance metrics related to gender at the local government level will significantly contribute to advancing gender balance across the nation. She stressed the importance of seamless cooperation between federal and local government agencies, as this collaboration is pivotal to achieving national goals and enhancing the UAE's global competitiveness and leadership.

Mona Al Marri emphasised, “The platform features a central display panel for gender balance data at federal and local government levels, along with a governance system for performance data, projects, and targets. Each Emirate will have its dedicated display panel to update its data. This initiative propels the UAE's government to new heights, further cementing its reputation as a leading nation offering the highest living standards for all residents, making it an ideal destination to live, work, and prosper.”

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