empowering uAe women
sharjah — The UAE has made significant progress in its mission to empower women in the workforce across various sectors and the nation’s women can today be classified as role models for the rest of the world, officials said.
“I believe the development of an economy is measured by the development of its women,” said Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and chairperson of Nama Women Advancement Establishment, on Monday.
Speaking at the UAE’s first Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Summit (WEEGS), Sheikha Jawaher noted that productivity in the workforce increases by more than 50 per cent with the active inclusion of women. The development of women in economic fields
dubai — The UAE is a country that is not content with reaching a certain point and then resting on its laurels, says Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation.
Speaking at the first session of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Forum on Monday, she said when it comes to the empowerment of women, the leadership of the country works tirelessly to ensure that women are afforded the same opportunities as men in the workforce.
Equality, she said, comes through validating the roles of both genders. “Empowerment of men and women are two sides of the same coin, either at home or at work, where both can realise their goals alongside — and with the support of — each other.”
“Empowerment is the starting point to achieve stability and distance ourselves from ignorance and stability, and while we have overcome some Arab women stereotypes, we must fully integrate women, otherwise no society or community can achieve its potential. We must have the legislature framework and social awareness that supports women in all roles,” she said.
Al Hashimy also revealed that the UAE has taken a leading role in empowering young girls through its foreign programmes that focus on education. She stressed that supporting women in any economy does not come simply through creating jobs for them, but also by offering them continuous support and building an ecosystem that allows them to do business.
Speaking in a panel session, Enas Mekkawy, director of the Department of Women, Family and Childhood at the General Secretariat of League of Arab States, said the steps taken by the UAE government towards the empowerment of women has ensured that the role of women has been taken to new heights.
“There can be no political and social empowerment of women without first having economic empowerment,” she said. “There is a dire need for legislation to combat gender bias and discrimination, including opportunities and pay. Women should be ensured the same salaries as their male counterparts for the same job. The private sector is a key factor and without that support, there can be no true equality.”
How to measure success
Carla Koffel, executive director of the Pearl Initiative, said more needed to be done to measure success in women’s empowerment. “There has been a lot of progress, but unfortunately, there is very little
There is a dire need for legislation to combat gender bias and discrimination, including opportunities and pay Enas Mekkawy, Director of the Department of Women, Family and Childhood at the General Secretariat of League of Arab States
data. What has continued to emerge is that leadership is one of the most significant factors in empowering women in the workplace. A commitment from the top, an environment where women feel comfortable and one where men are supportive of women in their roles are major factors. If people see there is a commitment to gender equality, that will filter down.”
Further citing the results of a recent survey by the Nama Women Advancement Establishment and The Pearl Initiative, Koffel revealed that across all sectors, genderbased biases and stereotypes were viewed as barriers for women engaging in the workforce.
Apart from the finance and investment sector, survey respondents across all sectors perceived demanding work hours and conditions as one of the challenges to women’s career advancement. In the finance and investment and ICT and Stem sectors, the lack of policies supporting women’s advancement was highlighted as a key element hindering women from progressing in their careers.
Top challenges
While in the energy and environment sector, the lack of technical knowledge and skills were among the top three challenges women face.
When asked about what organisations could do to address the obstacles to women’s engagement in the workforce, 74 per cent said flexibility for work and life balance were essential. Second to that, active consideration of women in recruitment policies and succession planning, followed by policies that nurture a company culture that supports women in the workforce.
— rohma@khaleejtimes.com