Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi: A Remarkable Journey of Breaking Barriers in UAE
The UAE’s path to enabling women began with a clear vision from its founding leaders. Their framework created opportunities for remarkable women like Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi to reach prominent positions and break new ground for Emirati women.
The influence of Sheik Zayed’s legacy
Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding father, knew that his nation could only develop with women’s full participation. “Future generations will be living in a world that is very different from that to which we are accustomed. It is essential that we prepare ourselves and our children for that new world,” he said. His vision went beyond traditional roles. He became a champion for women’s rights and encouraged their active participation in education, careers, and leadership roles.
Sheik Zayed stood out because he truly believed in women’s abilities. He created equal opportunities and gave them the support they needed to excel in their chosen fields and strengthen their role in society. He believed that investing in people—especially women—would lead to real national wealth and development.
Sheikha Fatima’s early initiatives
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak built on Sheik Zayed’s vision and became a pivotal figure for Emirati women. She started her work on February 8, 1973, with the first women’s gathering in the UAE, ‘The Renaissance of Abu Dhabi Women Association’. This groundbreaking step sparked similar groups across other emirates.
Sheikha Fatima saw the need for united action and created the General Women’s Union in 1975. This organization brought together all UAE’s women’s associations. That same year, she introduced the Women Literacy and Education Strategy, stating that “Illiteracy was the greatest obstacle and challenge that stymied our development plans and progress”. Her integrated approach tackled alphabetical, cultural, intellectual, health, social, professional, and family illiteracy.
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi’s entry into public service
Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi’s public service career shows the success of these visionary leaders’ foundation. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology and wrote several books and research articles about demography, development, education, and women’s issues.
She reached the highest levels of government in 2008 when she became a Minister of State. She also led The Marriage Fund until February 2016 and served as Zayed University’s president from 2013 to 2014.
Before becoming minister, Dr. Maitha worked in various administrative, academic, and research roles at the United Arab Emirates University. She built a reputation for excellence and showed steadfast dedication to women’s advancement. Her role as Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak’s consultant strengthened her position at the crossroads of policy-making and women’s empowerment initiatives.
Education as the First Step to Equality
Education stands as the life-blood of women’s progress in the UAE, and Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi has championed its transformative power throughout her career. She has helped shape policies that opened doors for generations of Emirati women as a notable supporter of educational equality.
Opening all disciplines to women
The UAE’s dedication to women’s education has produced impressive results. Currently, 95% of Emirati women pursue higher education after completing high school. These women make up 75% of the student population at the Al Ain national university. Their influence reaches disciplines of all types, with women representing 56% of the UAE’s graduates in STEM courses at government universities.
Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi has played a vital role in this educational transformation. She has steadily supported removing barriers that once limited women’s academic choices through her roles at UAE University and as Minister of State. Educational institutions across the UAE now welcome women in all disciplines, which lets them build careers in traditionally male-dominated fields like engineering, aviation, and energy.
Dr. Maitha’s support for lifelong learning
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi believes education should be a lifelong experience rather than a finite achievement. She has written many research articles about education and women’s development. Her vision fits perfectly with the broader national strategy for women’s progress, which focuses on continuous skills development.
The numbers tell the story—UAE women’s literacy rate now reaches 95.8%, up from 31% in 1975. This dramatic change happened in just one generation, showing how well the UAE’s educational policies work.
Enabling women through knowledge and training
Female students make up 60% of Emiratis at the Masdar Institute of Science, showcasing the success of initiatives that leaders like Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi champion. She believes in progress beyond formal education to include specialized training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Her Excellency Dr. Maitha states, “The women’s empowerment process begins with obtaining an education and gaining necessary knowledge, which has been facilitated by opening all disciplines to women, and enabling them to play their part in the journey of development and progress”. This philosophy shows her belief that knowledge serves as both a right and responsibility—giving women tools not just to advance their careers but to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Leadership, Innovation, and Representation
The UAE leads the region in women’s leadership as Emirati women transform traditional leadership models across sectors. Their innovative approaches and inclusive policies create lasting effects that go beyond mere representation.
Women in government and executive roles
Emirati women make up two-thirds of the UAE government workforce and hold 30% of leadership positions under Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi’s guidance. This success stems from national policies that strengthen women’s voices in decision-making. The UAE Cabinet now includes nine women, and women represent 20% of the diplomatic corps, advancing the nation’s interests worldwide.
Dr. Maitha’s role in national strategies
Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi plays a crucial role in developing national policies for women’s advancement. Her position as Minister of State since 2008 has helped shape the National Policy for Strengthening Emirati Women 2023-2031. This policy offers a complete framework to promote women’s participation in any discipline. Her sociology background and extensive research in demography and development have created strategies that blend cultural values with modern ideals.
Encouraging women in STEM and entrepreneurship
Women’s participation in STEM fields has reached remarkable levels in the UAE, with women making up 61% of graduates—substantially higher than global averages. Additionally, 23,000 Emirati businesswomen manage projects worth over AED50 billion. They hold 15% of positions on chambers of commerce boards across the country.
Representation in the Federal National Council
The late Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s directive led to women holding 50% of seats in the Federal National Council [27,28]. This achievement ranks the UAE among the top five countries worldwide for women’s parliamentary representation, surpassing many developed nations.
Sustainable Impact and Global Recognition
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi has taken the UAE’s humanitarian vision beyond national borders and gained worldwide recognition for initiatives that strengthen women globally.
Humanitarian projects led by Dr. Maitha
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairperson of the Supreme Committee of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, highlights the value of global partnerships to speed up international efforts for Sustainable Development Goals. She has launched many humanitarian exhibitions and initiatives under H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s patronage. The Government of Japan awarded her the Order of the Rising Sun – the Gold and Silver Star in 2018 for her international humanitarian work.
The Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women
The Emirates Red Crescent and the UN High Commission for Refugees created this landmark fund in 2000 to protect and help refugee women and children worldwide. The fund signed two agreements with UNHCR under Dr. Maitha’s guidance – a three-year partnership renewal and a $3.67 million project that provides eco-friendly shelter for refugees in Burkina Faso and Chad, helping 871 families. Projects in Uganda have helped over 45,000 people, with 60% being women who work in agriculture and livestock sectors.
Women’s role in economic development
Emirati women have put over AED 58.75 billion into national and private sectors. Women business-owners make up 10% of the UAE’s private sector. The country has 23,000 Emirati businesswomen running projects worth over AED 50 billion, and they hold 15% of positions on boards of chambers of commerce nationwide. The first women’s meeting, ‘The Renaissance of Abu Dhabi Women Association’ in 1973, marked the start of their economic growth.
International recognition of Emirati women
The UAE stands as a leading country in gender equality according to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report. The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security’s 2023 WPS Index places the nation 22nd among 170 countries. UAE women dominated Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen list in 2023. These achievements show Dr. Maitha’s visionary work’s lasting effect and Sheikha Fatima’s transformative leadership through the “Mother of the Nation’s 50:50 Vision”.
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi is evidence of UAE’s dedication to strengthening women’s position in society. Her experience shows how visionary leadership can revolutionize societies within one generation. She has made education the life-blood of equality, which has enabled countless Emirati women to enter fields that were previously inaccessible.
UAE’s achievements in gender equality reflect the foundations Sheik Zayed established and Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak actively advances. Women now make up two-thirds of the government workforce and hold 50% of seats in the Federal National Council. Real influence comes from nine women serving in the UAE Cabinet, while women constitute 75% of university students.
Dr. Maitha’s work substantially exceeds national borders through humanitarian initiatives like the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women. These efforts have gained international recognition. Prestigious global indexes now position UAE as a regional leader in gender equality.
Female literacy rates jumped from 31% in 1975 to an impressive 95.8% today, proving the success of policies Dr. Maitha helped create. The presence of 23,000 Emirati businesswomen managing projects worth over AED 50 billion shows economic growth is now reality rather than just a goal.
Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi’s legacy proves that meaningful change needs both visionary leadership and practical implementation. Her story represents not just personal success but also the collective progress of Emirati women who keep breaking barriers in government, business, diplomacy, and STEM fields. These achievements prove Sheik Zayed’s wisdom that preparing for the future needs full participation from all citizens, whatever their gender.
