The European Parliament praises the Emirati experience in supporting women and gender balance

The European Parliament praised the UAE experience in the field of supporting women and gender balance through advanced legislation and policies, with the state’s application of the best international practices, and in this regard noted a number of the country’s global achievements in this field, including the fact that the percentage of women representation in the Federal National Council reached 50%, which is one of the highest rates. International, initiatives to increase its representation in boards of directors and leadership positions in the public and private sectors, the law on equal wages and salaries between men and women, and the implementation of a gender-responsive budget at the state level.

This came when the Emirates Council for Gender Balance received a delegation from the European Parliament headed by Anna Michel, Vice-President of the International Trade Commission. Piano, Katerina Ranzima, Sergey Stenchev, and ways to strengthen relations and areas of joint cooperation were discussed.

During the meeting, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri reviewed the global achievements made by the UAE in the field of gender balance as a result of the pioneering gains made by women in all fields during the past fifty years thanks to the support provided by the wise leadership and the spirit of responsibility that she demonstrated towards her country and her keenness to contribute to the progress of her country. And its prosperity, stressing that gender balance and support for women have been a main principle and a consistent approach since the founding of the state in 1971, based on the belief of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that comprehensive and sustainable development will only be achieved with equal opportunities and the participation of women and men alike.

She pointed out that the UAE constitution guarantees women all rights and establishes the principle of equality for all, stipulating their right to education, occupation and access to social and health benefits.

She stressed that the UAE has made tangible steps over the past 50 years in the field of enhancing the status of women, and today it is considered a leading example of supporting and empowering women, not only in the region but worldwide. In various sectors and job levels, and the unique opportunities available to them to achieve more success and excellence as a result of the priority of balance in the government’s approach, noting that it is not only about achieving progress in international classifications and data, but rather providing girls with a complete option to achieve their ambitions.

She said that the General Women's Union, headed by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, has played an important role since its establishment in 1975 in promoting women's opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities in all sectors and enhance their position in regional and international forums. The Emirates Council for Gender Balance was established in 2015 under the chairmanship of the consort 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, with the aim of reducing the gender gap in all sectors of the country and making it a list of the world’s leading countries In this field, and also support this vital file globally in a way that contributes to achieving the sustainable development goals, especially the fifth goal related to balance and empowerment of all women and girls.

Her Excellency Mona Al-Marri stressed that consolidating the principles of justice, balance and tolerance represent a consistent approach and a supreme national priority for the state since its establishment. And the prosperity of the UAE, which presently presents a pioneering regional model for gender balance and leads the countries in the region in global indicators in this field, most notably the Gender Equality Index issued by the United Nations Development Program, the Gender Gap Report issued by the World Economic Forum, and the Women, Business and Law Report issued by The World Bank also ranked first globally in the "Respect for Women" indicator within the Social Progress Index report, stressing the keenness of all state institutions to achieve the vision of the wise leadership that the UAE will be the best country in the world in all fields by 2071, coinciding with the UAE Centennial.

She said that the success of gender balance in the UAE is also due to the approach of cooperation, dialogue and human communication .. We believe in the importance of partnerships, dialogue, joint action and knowledge exchange in order to achieve the best within the country and around the world in cooperation with partners and friends such as the European Union.

In turn, the European Parliament delegation affirmed its keenness to enhance cooperation with the Emirates Council for Gender Balance, extending an invitation to His Excellency Mona Al Marri to visit him and present the successful Emirati experience in supporting women and gender balance.

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