AMN / ABU DHABI
The UAE will celebrate Emirati Women’s Day, an annual event on Wednesday, 28th August. Emirati Women’s Day coincides this year with the Federal National Council, FNC, election, which will witness considerable progress in terms of women’s participation, following the decision to raise the parliamentary participation of women to 50 percent.
UAE women have achieved continuous success in recent years, and have joined the FNC over the last three years either through elections or appointment, reaching the highest levels after the appointment of Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi as Speaker of the FNC.
This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme, “Women are the Icons of Tolerance,” to promote the values of tolerance, which is a national priority. Official statements, popular interactions and media coverage reflect the position of Emirati women on government, diplomatic and parliamentary levels, as well as their success in the areas of space, clean energy and other specialisations.
According to official statistics, women currently account for 66 percent of the UAE’s labour force, and have a strong presence in education, health and banking, exceeding the presence of men.
The UAE leads Arab countries in terms of gender balance, according to an annual index issued by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. It also ranks high globally in terms of gender equality, especially with regards to literacy and participation in secondary and higher education, according to a report from the Forum World Economic Forum in 2016.
In education, 77 percent of Emirati women enrol in higher education after secondary school and make up 70 percent of all university graduates in the UAE.
Emirati women also have a strong presence in legal and civil society institutions, especially in the media and community sectors. Women’s organisations, such as the General Women’s Union, GWU, and the Gender Balance Council, have drafted comprehensive strategies to encourage the participation of women and empower them in all areas of life.
The UAE’s leadership, led by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, have carried on this legacy, and have encourage women further to advance their role in the country’s development.