The UAE ranks high in many indicators of women, among the global competitiveness indicators, ranked first globally among 132 countries in the index of "respect for women", in the report of the social progress index in 2015, and in 2018 came in first place in the world in the Literacy, according to the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report.

In this context, the Emirates Council for Gender Balance yesterday discussed ways to enhance cooperation with the UNDP Human Development Report Office, within the framework of its global partnerships, and its keenness to exchange visions, ideas and experiences with international organizations to achieve its strategic objectives. The gender gap in all sectors of the UAE, and the enhancement of the UAE's global competitiveness with gender balance indicators, make it a role model in this field, in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

This came during a meeting between Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Director General of the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics, Member of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Abdullah Nasser Lootah, and Director of the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Program, Pedro In the presence of the Secretary General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Shamsa Saleh and Hanan Ahli, Executive Director of the Competitiveness Sector at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority.

During the meeting, they reviewed the most prominent local and international projects implemented by the Council since its establishment, as the first federal government agency of its kind in the world to promote gender balance and its current plans of action.

Specific projects

Mona Al Marri highlighted the most prominent initiatives and projects launched by the Council during the past four years, headed by the wife 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, to achieve these goals, in addition to His initiatives in support of international efforts to promote global balance and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, such as the Global Balance Rings, the hosting of the UN Secretary-General's High-level Committee Meeting on Women's Economic Empowerment in 2017 and the launch of the Gender Balance Guide N: practical steps for institutions in the United Arab Emirates », which was developed in cooperation with the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the first guide of its kind in the world to support gender balance in the work environment, within the public and private sector institutions.

Functions of the Council

The Vice-President of the UAE Gender Balance Council discussed the council's competencies, including proposing legislation, policies, programs and innovative initiatives affecting gender balance, pointing out that the council continues to survey and study the existing legislation in the country to evaluate and identify the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in It then draws up a structured action plan to study legislative solutions to fill gaps, present actionable proposals in all areas, in cooperation with relevant federal authorities, and is currently developing a budget to promote gender balance P of the Cabinet.

Al-Marri stressed that the role of women as a key partner in development and in the economic sphere in particular, is a consistent and original approach in the march of the State and its future directions, and laws and legislation are gender-friendly, pointing to the remarkable presence of women in various sectors and jobs.

During the meeting, Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the UAE, which reflects a high awareness of the importance of the role of women and their participation in society, praising the advanced level reached at the educational and professional level, and in all development paths He stressed that UNDP welcomes the targeting of the UAE to enter the list of the top 25 countries in the world in the gender balance index.

Mona Al Marri:

• «Laws and legislations in the UAE friendly to both sexes, and the role of women as a key partner in development a consistent approach to the march of the State and its future directions».

Advanced mattresses

The UAE ranks high in many indicators of women, among the global competitiveness indicators, ranked first globally among 132 countries in the index of "respect for women", in the report of the social progress index in 2015, and in 2018 came in first place in the world in the Literacy, according to the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report, as well as gender equity, according to the Ligatum Institute London Prosperity Index, and ranked first regionally in the Wage Equity Index and Health Pillar of the Global Gap Report Between a Unisex, issued by the World Economic Forum in December 2018.

• The Director of the Human Development Report Office commends the Council's efforts and initiatives that are influential globally.