UAE intensifies efforts for women's empowerment

Sheikh Hamdan and other attendees at the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment in Dubai on Monday.

Government representatives and leaders gathered on Monday as part of a high level United Nations panel to discuss women economic empowerment and tackle challenges in the field.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, officially opened the meeting of the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel (HLP) on Women's Economic Empowerment, the results of which will be released in March. The UAE Gender Balance Council hosted the two-day event for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to implement the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to improve economic outcomes for women.
Speaking at the event, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance, said key challenges facing women in seven different fields will be discussed at the meeting.
The panel will look at tackling adverse circumstances facing women, promoting positive female role models, ensuring legal protection, recognising informal or domestic work, changing cultural practices in some societies and increasing awareness of women's rights.
Sheikha Lubna also said the panel will shift special focus to the women affected by wars and natural disasters. "The UAE aims to provide support to female refugees who were exposed to violence and work on giving them their rights and stopping sexual violence against them. These are all factors that hinder women progress and impact them negatively," said Sheikha Lubna, highlighting UAE's efforts in providing international aid and education programmes.
She said the UAE's contributions to UN Women amounted to $12 million and the UAE Government supported the establishment of the UN Women's office in Abu Dhabi to liaise with GCC countries. "Increased number of women in workplaces means an increases in any country's GDP. The UAE has already empowered women; it is time we empower the society," said Sheikha Lubna. 
UAE's most recent initiative to support women in the workplace was by raising maternity leave to three months for public sector employees. Women make up 66 per cent of the public sector workers in the UAE and 30 per cent of them are in leadership roles. The UAE also has eight women ministers, one of the highest female representation in the cabinet in the region.
Mona Al Marri, Vice-President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said there are about 23,000 businesswomen running investments estimated at Dh50billion.
UAE leads the way
> The UAE ranked first in the 2015 World Economic Forum report on the literacy rate indicator and on its enrollment of in secondary education index
> Women make up 66 per cent of the public sector workers, with 30 per cent in leadership roles
> The UAE has eight female ministers, one of the highest female representations in the cabinet in the region.
> Women aged 15 and over constitute 46.6 per cent of the labour force
> Women occupy about 75 per cent of positions in the education and health sectors
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com