He approved the council’s strategy 2022-2026.. He noted the achievements of Emirati women in all fields

Mohammed bin Rashid: Global leadership... a new challenge for "gender balance"

• Mona Al-Marri: "The achievements of the past period are a strong basis for continuing the path of success and bringing the UAE to more advanced ranks at the global level."

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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stressed that gender balance is a priority in the UAE's next 50-year strategy, expressing confidence in the efficiency and capabilities of the gender balance team at the state level.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, on the occasion of the Cabinet's adoption, headed by His Highness, of the "Gender Balance Strategy in the United Arab Emirates 2022-2026", which aims to achieve the UAE's leadership and global influence in this file, and to enhance the presence of women in leadership positions and the economic sector. “The empowerment of women and the approach to gender balance in the UAE since its establishment by the father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may he rest in peace, and the founding fathers, was one of the main pillars upon which the UAE’s renaissance and development in all fields was built over the past 50 years and what it has achieved From a prestigious global position under the wise leadership of my brother, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and the continuous support of my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces for women.”

His Highness praised the initiatives 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, in consolidating gender balance, which provided the world with a pioneering model in supporting and succeeding the role of women on a large scale, locally and globally.

He expressed his pride in the achievements of Emirati women in various fields, including scientific and specialized fields, and the state's gender balance and its progress in global indicators, praising the efforts of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance during the past five years, headed by 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, and the balance team, as they represented a true model of sincere national work to achieve the goals of the state in this file through qualitative projects and initiatives that were followed up and appreciated by the leadership and government of the Emirates.

His Highness also praised the efforts and cooperation of the ministries and state institutions in achieving the national goals that were directed by the Council when it was established in 2015, stressing that gender balance is a fundamental pillar of comprehensive sustainable development and social cohesion.

His Highness said: "When the Emirates Council for Gender Balance was established in 2015, the country was ranked 49th globally in the Gender Equality Index of the United Nations Development Program. Efforts with ministries and state institutions achieved the goal before the target date, as the UAE advanced to the 18th place globally in 2020, achieving a qualitative leap by an average of 31 global centers within five years.

The gender balance team faces a new challenge, which is to reach global leadership in this file, and they will find all support from the leadership and the government of the state,” stressing that the solidarity of all state institutions, the private sector and society in general would achieve this national goal.

In turn, 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, praised the transformation of the concept of balance into an institutional work at the state level, expressing her thanks to the ministries and government agencies for their cooperation in achieving The council’s strategy and objectives, which express the leadership’s vision and directions for this vital file and its role in achieving comprehensive and sustainable development and global influence in this vital file, stressing that “women’s participation in the development process represented a major pillar in building and renaissance of the state for five decades, in light of the leadership’s keenness to Consolidating this approach, which is based on the principle of equal opportunities and gender balance, while providing all the ingredients for success for women through legislation, policies and initiatives, within the strategic plans that outline the future of the UAE, and aiming to become the best countries in the world in all fields.”

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the strategy for gender balance in the United Arab Emirates 2022-2026, which was designed and developed over a whole year in cooperation and coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister and in consultation with strategic partners from ministries and federal entities, and inspired by « The next 50-year plan in the country”, which would achieve a qualitative leap in the file of gender balance in the UAE and reach advanced ranks globally, in translation of the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Her Highness added that the vision contained in the new strategy is for the UAE to be a global model for gender balance, and it includes four main pillars and objectives:Economic participation, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, well-being and quality of life, protection, leadership and global partnerships, through which we seek to explore new horizons that move us from the stage of bridging gaps and reviewing best practices to the stage of positioning the country as an exporter of best practices for gender balance and focusing on the post-global competitive stage , especially with the package of new legislation and legislative improvements that were issued during the past two years for more than 20 legal articles that included the areas of work, protection, political participation, personal status, the judiciary, wages, banking transactions, freedom of movement, marriage, entrepreneurship, property and pension, all of which would enhance the status and gains of women and guarantee and protect It also contributed to raising the position of the UAE in competitiveness indicators and global reports.

Her Highness said that the 2022-2026 strategy focuses on mainstreaming a gender perspective, including taking into account the aspects and needs of gender balance in the processes of policy development, legislation, planning and program preparation, to ensure that resources are allocated in a gender-sensitive manner, which ultimately creates a more equal society. Her Highness stressed the importance of applying this perspective at the level of government with all its ministries and institutions, the private sector and foreign diplomacy. The strategy also focuses on strengthening global partnerships and exchanging experiences and expertise with brotherly and friendly countries.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced that the Emirates Council for Gender Balance is currently working on designing a measurement framework for the results of the strategy that includes results, key performance indicators and classified data points that have been identified in cooperation between the Council and relevant authorities from the public and private sectors, for each of the pillars. The strategy, to ensure continuous improvement of the strategy and to assess the level of progress achieved in general in gender balance. The key performance indicators of the strategy will also be aligned with the key performance indicators at the state level as well as with the key performance indicators for the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals.

To view the initiatives and achievements of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance,

To view the main themes of the strategy,

Deputy Head of State:

• "Balance is a fundamental pillar established by Sheikh Zayed, and we seek global leadership in this file under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa and the support of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed."

• «Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who presented to the world a pioneering model in supporting and succeeding the role of women on a large scale locally and globally».

• "The Balance Team, led by Manal bint Mohammed, is a true model of national action in achieving the state's vision and goals, and its efforts are appreciated."

Manal bint Muhammad:

• “Mainstreaming a gender perspective at the level of government, the private sector, and foreign diplomacy through qualitative initiatives, policies and programmes.”

• «A framework for measuring the results of the strategy and performance indicators to ensure continuous improvement and assess the level of progress achieved».

Quantum leap

Vice President of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance, Mona Ghanem Al Marri, said that the council, headed by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, succeeded in translating the national goals directed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, foremost of which is reducing the gender gap. In all sectors of the state, and enhancing the UAE’s position with global competitiveness indicators and making it a reference for balance legislation in the region through local and international projects and initiatives that it has worked on over the past years, stressing that these achievements and gains represent a strong basis for continuing the path of success during the coming period and achieving a qualitative leap in the file of balance between gender and reaching the UAE to more advanced ranks at the global level, in line with the goals and aspirations of the country’s next 50-year plan to be the best country in the world in all fields by 2071.

She said that the strategy for gender balance in the UAE is based on five main principles:

■ Balance and parity, as it aims to achieve permanent equality of opportunities and results between men and women.

■ Focus on the future, in the sense of preparing for challenges and transforming them into opportunities, and what this means is the availability of elements of innovation and sustainability.

■ Competitiveness, as it is concerned with continuing the upward path in the regional and global rankings.

■ Integration, whereby government agencies, the private sector, and cooperation with international organizations and institutions were involved in designing and developing the strategy to ensure that a gender perspective is taken into account in all policy areas.

■ Best practices, applying the best knowledge and data available from a variety of sources, as a basis for new legislation, policies, and legislative and legal improvements.

4 strategic pillars

Mona Ghanem Al-Marri confirmed that the new strategy includes four main pillars to be achieved through qualitative initiatives in various fields.

They are:

■ Economic participation, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion: It aims to bridge the economic gender gap by working to increase women's participation and enhance their presence in the economy, the entrepreneurship sector and the digital economy in particular, through initiatives and policies that promote women's financial inclusion and link government economic practices with broader goals of balance between Genders.

■ Well-being and quality of life: in the sense of ensuring that all physical, mental and preventive health supports are equal between the sexes, and this is done by training and strengthening the capacities of professionals working on the immediate front lines to take into account gender differences and respond to gender balance issues and needs, and ensure the provision of resources and support for mental health for women, including reforms in health insurance policy.

■ Protection: It aims to strengthen social and legal protections for all women and prevent gender-based violence through awareness campaigns and legislation.

■ Leadership and global partnerships: The strategy aims to enhance gender balance in the region and all over the world by continuing to make efforts and build partnerships that enhance the UAE’s leading position and global influence in this file, support opportunities to accelerate the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals, and promote social and economic inclusion for women around the world by developing policies to integrate gender balance considerations into global trade and foreign investment.

Al-Marri confirmed that the goals included in the new strategy are achieved through concerted governmental and community efforts by raising awareness of gender balance and its social, economic and political returns, launching qualitative initiatives in various fields, and developing data disaggregated by gender at the government and private sector levels.

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