How women steer UAE’s economic progress
financial and digital inclusion, legal protection and unpaid care work — have been identified that, if addressed, will do the most to achieve gender equality at work and generate significant progress towards realising economic gains.
According to the McKinsey Global Institute index, the UAE leads the region with 100 marks in access to education for women; 59 points on access to financial services, 98 marks on better access to the Internet and mobile phones; and 21 marks on improved legal policies and protection that can help women enter the workforce.
Clare McColl, partner and head of indirect dax at KPMG Lower Gulf, said in the past, women largely occupied positions as teachers, nurses, HR professionals, social workers or secretaries because these professions demanded a higher degree of interpersonal skills that women were traditionally perceived to possess.
“Women’s participation in technical fields, such as engineering and ICT, tended to be low. However, this is changing rapidly in developed economies, where women occupy a significant number of positions in management in the public and private sector,” she said.
According to a report by the IMF, as many as 180 million jobs for women are at high risk of being displaced globally due to new technologies and automation. However, the KPMG UAE Female Leaders Outlook report shows that women are entrepreneurial and well-prepared for a digital future.
McColl pointed out that in the UAE, organisations are integrating gender diversity as a core part of their strategic objectives and the UAE cabinet approved the issuance of legislation to ensure equal pay for men and women earlier this year.
“There has been some discussion around establishing quotas to ensure that women have a fair representation in the workforce, however, I believe this should be merit-based. In fact, the UAE Female Leaders Outlook report indicated that only three per cent of women felt female leadership quotas were a crucial factor for their personal success.”
She noted that increased participation in the workforce means that women may influence resources and set examples for young children about gender equality from an early age. “It provides women with financial independence, which may drive greater prosperity for the household.”
Benedetta Paravia, producer of ‘Hi Dubai’ series dedicated to women’s empowerment, said the UAE offers a very successful model of a country where women empowerment is effective.
“If the young generation sees role models such as Reem Al Hashemi, Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, Shamma Al Mazruei and many more having position of great responsibility, they will aspire to get the same opportunity, even in different sectors. To follow a good example is the best way to motivate young women. On another prospective, sometimes financial issues are pushing women to work, this depends on the family income,” she said.
Saana Azzam, founder of Mena Speakers forum, said female participation tends to be high in sectors that reflect nurturing abilities, such as educational services, social services, child care services, librarians and archivists.
“This is a prime example of how the progress we have made in encouraging women in the workforce is still in line with socialised gender norms. Sectors that seem to be more male-geared, such as technology and IT, legal services, accountancy, lack female contribution,” she said.
The UAE has already taken the initiative to foster female participation in all sectors. However, classic interventionists and corrective measures should allow for more flexible working hours for women and mothers, Azzam added.