The World Bank: The UAE is among the best countries in empowering women economically

The World Bank unveiled the Women, Business and Law 2020 Report, a report that measures the extent of women's empowerment in the labor market through laws and legislation, and across eight axes that collect legal materials and regulations on women's economic opportunities.

A report this year showed that the UAE is among the best countries in the world in the improvements that the World Bank documented during the past year in the field of economic empowerment of women, as the UAE has made remarkable progress in five of the main axes: “starting work” and “obtaining Funds, ”“ marriage, ”“ children, ”and“ pension. ”

The campus of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance and President of Dubai Women Establishment, said on this occasion: “We are proud of the progress made by the UAE in International reports on women, including the Women and Business and Law 2020 report issued by the World Bank, which reflect the priority of supporting and enhancing the role of women in various fields, especially the economic field within the strategic plans of the country, foremost of which is the UAE Vision 2021 and the UAE Centennial 2071, which stress the importance of What is the contribution of women to the economy, entrepreneurship, leadership positions and decision-making centers, in support of the march in support of them since the founding of the state nearly 50 years ago by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul?

Legislation

Her Highness added that the Emirates worked to support the economic role of women through many legislations and policies, as the UAE was the second country in the world after Norway and the first country in the region to issue binding legislation by a decision issued by the Council of Ministers in 2012 that women should be represented in the boards of directors, and a body aims Securities and commodities to raise this percentage to 20% in the boards of directors of public joint-stock companies listed in the capital markets in the country, based on the positive returns in the performance of these companies, which were confirmed by global studies, adding that Her Highness that the Emirates Council for Gender Balance is currently working to develop A budget to promote gender balance and develop a national policy on entrepreneurship for Emirati women, mandated by the Council of Ministers, to emphasize the role of women as a key partner in development and in the economic sphere in particular in the country's march and future directions, indicating her highness that the council was established in The year 2015 aims to reduce the gender gap in various sectors, and raise the UAE’s position internationally in the gender balance and make it a global model to follow.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum indicated that the UAE is one of the countries of the world most concerned with the economic empowerment of women, as the state and through all its federal and governmental institutions were an example and example in this field through its continuity in enacting laws and legislations and improving procedures and launching initiatives aimed at To empower Emirati women economically, and to support women’s talents and leaders in government and private work environments, confirming Her Highness that Emirati women have proven their worth and excellence in all the tasks and responsibilities assigned to them, and left their mark through giving in all Areas of national action, including its involvement with the armed forces, national service, police and security.

Achievements

The UAE has made important achievements in the process of empowering Emirati women, and on various legislative and procedural frameworks. The UAE constitution has ensured the rights of women and established the principle of equality between them and men, in a manner commensurate with their nature, as well as stipulating their right to education, occupying jobs, obtaining aid, social and health benefits, Government jobs.

Emirati women have been distinguished by active political participation in the state and at the local and federal levels alike, due to a number of laws and legislations that have ensured the rights of women to effective political participation, such as the Cabinet’s decision of 2012 to represent women in the boards of directors of federal bodies and institutions, and grant women and men The right to vote and run for office in the Federal National Council since the start of the electoral experiment in 2006, and the decision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, to allocate 50% of the seats for women in the Federal National Council, in addition to the remarkable growth D for the representation of women in ministerial portfolios assume which reached about 30%.

The state has also supported Emirati women to enter the national workforce and achieve leadership in the work environment by setting a set of laws and supportive measures, such as eliminating all restrictions imposed on women who want jobs that may be considered difficult, such as working in the mining, construction, energy, water, agriculture and transport sectors, as well as not The Labor Law allows the employer to terminate the public service of the woman or warn her of her pregnancy, in addition to many other government decisions such as the 2018 Cabinet Resolution regarding equality in wages between the sexes, and the decision to amend maternity and maternity leave to 12 weeks, issued in 2017 And Cabinet Resolution of 2006 regarding the establishment of nurseries in government agencies.

In the area of ​​financial independence, the UAE Central Bank circulated in September 2019 regarding gender equality, non-discrimination in banking transactions, and access to credit, and called on banks and financial institutions to provide their services to individual customers and business owners of both sexes equally and without any discrimination.

President of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance:

We are proud of the progress the UAE is making in international reports on women.

The UAE has supported the economic role of women through numerous legislation.

50%

Of seats for women on the Federal National Council.

30%

Of the ministerial portfolios in the Emirates for women.

An important global indicator

The Women, Business and Law 2020 Report, which has been issued annually by the World Bank since 2009, is the report that measures the extent of women's empowerment in the labor market through laws and legislation, and across eight tracks that collect legal materials and regulations on women's economic opportunities. The report provides policymakers with data on systems and laws in support of ensuring gender balance, and identifying and empowering women's economic opportunities.

Protection of women

The UAE law guarantees the protection of women from all types of abuse towards them, as the anti-discrimination and hatred law in the United Arab Emirates prohibits all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual harassment has also been criminalized in the state's penal law, and imprisonment and a fine are imposed on a female who is exposed to a scratch Her modesty, in word or deed, on a public road or a forged place. The law also protects all male and female individuals without discrimination from all forms of domestic violence.