Sara Falaknaz: An Emirati parliamentarian, soldier, business leader

The UAE and its leadership have always invested in its human resources. And empowering women is at the heart of its policies. A glowing example of this would be the allocation of 50 per cent of the Federal National Council seats (FNC) to women during the last elections.
Sara Falaknaz is just 33, but she has held multiple managerial positions, served in the army, pursued sciences and is currently a member of the FNC. So what makes this ambitious Emirati tick?
Before winning the FNC seat by 333 votes in Dubai, Falaknaz has held managerial positions in renowned corporations in the public sector as well as in the family business.
Driven by her passion for excellence and for serving her country, she soared in her career journey. Her motivation is, in her own words, "the love for the nation that flows in her veins".
The military experience
She enrolled in the military service in 2014. Upon graduation, she was made battalion leader in a large military parade. "A military service recruit gains the character of a leader who is into taking initiatives; someone with a strategic outlook, a leader with a national and patriotic perception; someone who appreciates the value of time."
She said she did not think twice before signing up for the military service as she has a "profound trust in the vision of the UAE leadership." Scientific excellence and brush with Expo 2020
But Falaknaz's ambition did not stop there. She obtained scientific and professional certificates in 'Innovation and Leadership' from international universities in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
She was the official representative of DP World in Expo 2020. She was also member of the board of directors of DP World in Australia, Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Women key part of the UAE dream
Taking up key positions along with their responsibilities made Falaknaz even more ambitious and keen to climb higher in public life. She ran for the FNC elections and emerged a winner.
The journey was not easy. "The sky is the limit for the UAE and it's competing with developed countries all over the world thanks to its pioneering endeavours. Since women are equal partners, we are part of the UAE dream."
Even though she's still at the beginning of her parliamentary journey, she thinks that it is a successful and enriching experience. She sees it as a space to invest the cumulated experiences she gained over the years.
"Opportunities have been opened to women to work in all fields, thanks to guidelines set by our nation's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and which were followed by the other UAE leaders.
"The Emirati woman feels proud about the status she has achieved. She has become a member of the government and the FNC, which means she has a historic responsibility before the leadership and to the public that both put high hopes in her. She has to live up to their expectations. This year is exceptional as half of the seats have been allocated to women. The wise leadership has empowered the woman to stand as a peer next to the man in all fields."
Going global
Falaknaz recently headed the UAE's official delegation meetings of the International Parliamentary Union at the United Nations headquarters in New York. She gave a speech about the country's vision on some topics, which included education being the key tool for empowering women.
She attributes her success to Allah, the UAE leadership and to her family and friends.
"My family has always been a great source of encouragement to me. We truly believe that women are equal partners to men and thus are entitled to equal opportunities."
mary@khaleejtimes.com