Fatima Bint Mubarak: The UAE continues to outline the features and pillars of its distinguished model in supporting and empowering women
The United Nations Women, in cooperation with the General Women’s Union, hosted a high-level summit on the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, on achieving gender equality for all women and girls, which was organized at Expo 2020 Dubai, coinciding with International Women’s Day.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, delivered the speech of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation "Mother of the Nation", at the opening of the activities of the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak welcomed the speakers, appreciating their rich participation, which carries noble goals to provide the basic needs of safety, dignity and equality for all human beings, calling on all to continue working together for a sustainable future based on knowledge, culture, science and advanced technology.
Her Highness expressed her happiness at the convening of this important summit at the heart of Expo 2020, to celebrate International Women's Day, and to discuss and develop a strategy for the private sector for the economic empowerment of women, noting that economic empowerment is a vital part of the fifth goal of the United Nations sustainable development goals, which seeks to achieve equality between The achievement of this goal will constitute a strong nucleus for addressing the remaining 16 sustainable development goals by 2030, which will require the dedication and effort of all local and global leaders.
Her Highness affirmed that the late founding leader, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, showed his wisdom and high determination in adopting priorities. The citizen without discrimination between men and women, to represent the basic incubator in providing the legislative, economic, social and cultural environment that supports the achievements and creativity of Emirati women, in order to ensure the full and effective participation of women in the process of sustainable development in the Emirates, and equal leadership opportunities at all levels, all of which are in line with the main objectives for the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
And she added: "After the departure of the founding leader who achieved what he promised, God gave the UAE and its people a wise leadership, headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, "may God protect him", and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of the UAE. Dubai, may God preserve him, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and their brothers, Their Highnesses, Rulers of the Emirates, who are leading the march ably in all fields internally and externally, so that the UAE continues to underline the features and pillars of its distinguished model, which unleashed the potential of Emirati women, and strengthened their support, and opened wide horizons for them, to be an active contributor to the process of development and nation-building.
Her Highness concluded: "We hope that community leaders will continue to work together to affirm these basic and lofty goals, to remove social and economic barriers in the path of women, in order to ensure the strengthening of their vital role as a fundamental pillar in development and growth for a more prosperous and advanced future in the world."
The summit witnessed high-level representation from the UAE and representatives from the government and private sectors in the region, whose sessions were opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Lulwa Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and General Supervisor of Effat University, and Her Excellency Anita Bhatia, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.
Among the senior officials who participated in the summit were Dr. Dina Assaf, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in the UAE, Reem bin Karam, Director of the Nama Foundation for the Advancement of Women, the European Union Ambassador to the UAE Andrea Fontana, and the Permanent Delegate to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Dr. Nawal Khalifa. Al Hosani.
The summit focused on the role of the private sector in overcoming barriers and enhancing opportunities for women's economic empowerment.
It included high-level panel discussions and presentations on facilitating access to finance and women's entrepreneurship, and enhancing women's representation and leadership in the private sector. Middle East, PwC and Zayed University.
CEOs and senior executives from various sectors presented key ways and actions to accelerate progress in enhancing the role of women in workplaces and economies through cultural transformation, leadership, access to finance, and support for entrepreneurship.
The discussions also included transforming commitments into action, and adapting to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several presentations were made on empowering women to access leadership roles and increase their representation within the private sector.
Government and private sector representatives from various industrial sectors also participated in a session on investing from a gender perspective in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a focus on financing available to women-owned small and medium enterprises.
Ms. Anita Bhatia said: “Closing wage gaps in emerging markets will boost per capita incomes by 20% or more by 2030. Women make up 49.6% of the world’s population, but only 40.8% of the formal global labor market means Their economic and productive potential is untapped.
She added: "At UN Women, we recognize the importance of women's economic empowerment as a settled issue, and that it must be moved forward to advance it. Bias against women in the economy can only be ended through dialogue, cooperation and partnerships, so we commend the stakeholders in the government and private sectors who joined us in our event. organized at Expo 2020 Dubai and we commend their perceptions of advancing SDG 5, and their investments in advancing gender equality, and thus driving economic empowerment forward.We need to maintain this momentum and not miss the huge untapped opportunity to benefit capabilities and skills of women and secure a more sustainable future for all.
For her part, the Secretary-General of the General Women's Union, Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, said that the continuous global successes achieved by the UAE in the field of gender balance in various sectors and at all levels, reflect the priority of this file within the national agenda, which translates the vision and directives of the wise leadership in strengthening the social, economic and political role of women. Perhaps including the decision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, "may God protect him", regarding equal wages for women and men in the private sector, which confirms that gender balance in all sectors of the state is a consistent approach in the leadership's vision, and a national priority for the government The UAE, out of its keenness to promote the goals of the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals.
She commended the great support and care provided by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to women's work inside and outside the UAE, praising Her Highness' efforts to enhance the capacity and needs of Emirati women to deal and adapt to the emerging reality in light of the exceptional circumstances resulting from the repercussions of the emerging Corona virus.
And she continued: "In our role in the General Women's Union, under the generous directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, we are keen to extrapolate governmental trends and women's needs and work to ensure the continuity of achievements for future generations, in accordance with the best international standards in the field of women's empowerment, especially indicators for the fifth goal of development goals." sustainable”.
The summit was attended and participated by many members of international organizations, academia, media, civil society and members of women’s organizations, including the signatories of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and members of the Coalition to Change Stereotypes in Advertising. UN Women partners from around the world also participated in the discussion on Cultural and economic barriers, opportunities, and commitments to making progress in SDG 5.
It is worth noting that UN Women celebrated International Women's Day 2022 under the title "Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow", to highlight that women are effective leaders and change-makers in addressing climate adaptation, mitigation and finding solutions.
Women should have equal access to education and skills training to lead and contribute to the sustainable economy of the future, and should be involved in the design and implementation of climate response actions to ensure equal benefit-sharing.
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