UAE calls for global collaboration to advance gender balance

The UAE's Gender Balance Council participated in the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Women’s Affairs held in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The meeting, themed "Women, Governance, and Leadership", provided a crucial platform for BRICS nations to exchange experiences and best practices in women's empowerment.

Members also explored opportunities for cooperation in overcoming challenges and driving inclusive economic and social progress.

The UAE delegation, led by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted the country’s achievements in advancing women's leadership.

The delegation also shared the UAE’s efforts to closely integrate gender balance into its sustainable development strategies.

Al Marri highlighted that women occupy nearly one-third of the cabinet and make up over 50 per cent of the Federal National Council.

She also pointed out that 70 per cent of university graduates and 57 per cent of STEM graduates in the UAE are women, with over 34 per cent of key leadership positions in the private sector held by women.

Al Marri outlined the laws enacted by the UAE to advance gender balance, including those mandating on-site childcare centres in government institutions, equal pay for work of equal value, and women’s representation on the boards of government entities and listed companies.

She also informed the gathering that the UAE has just mandated private joint stock companies to appoint at least one woman to their boards by next year.

"We in the UAE are keen to actively promote exchange of knowledge for reducing the gender gap in leadership. By sharing best practices, we can gain insights from one another’s successes and challenges," explained Al Marri.

Beyond government-to-government cooperation, we aim to leverage the BRICS B2B track to connect UAE businesses with their BRICS counterparts - to explore new approaches to women’s empowerment in the economic sphere," she added.

UAE calls for global collaboration to advance gender balance at the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Women's Affairs.https://t.co/UQxmp8lRCV pic.twitter.com/IdP94hwXG6

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 20, 2024