A celebration of female power and potential

So Beyonce sang. In celebration of Emirati Women’s Day today, we speak to five UAE women about the shifting sands around them

QHow do you think your experience has been different from your mother’s?

AIt has been very different. Comparing the past and present, I think the present is not as forgiving. There are a lot more expectations to achieve and become successful, especially among the youth, which often sets us up for a bigger disappointment if we don’t achieve as fast. Sustainable growth takes time to achieve. Many would think that my journey in sport was an overnight success … but it has been in the making for almost a decade, starting by changing my own mindset and mental health, with very little focus on the end goal as success.

What do you think is the most important lesson you can teach the next generation?

Self-acceptance. With self-love and self-acceptance comes learning to work on your goals – both internal and external – without being hard on yourself. At the end of the day, achievements are a checkpoint not an end-point.

Do you think that there are still misconceptions about women in the UAE? What are the most common?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that all Emiratis are wealthy or rich, and that Emirati women are taken care of by the male figures in their family, and as such, they do not need to work or require an income of their own. There are many kinds of families living in the UAE, and many women are independent financially … Women’s work needs to be taken as seriously as their counterparts’, including pay received for similar jobs done by men. Our leaders have been pushing for that change, and it is time it’s implemented at grass-roots level.

How do you think the role of women in the UAE has changed in your lifetime?

I believe it has changed massively. Women are becoming more outspoken, they know what they want with their future and have become more educated, resulting in more driven women in the workplace. Women are starting to realise that you can have a career as well as a family.

How do you think your experience has been different from your mother’s?

My experience has been very different to my mother’s, as my mother is British