Dubai 2024: Mohammed bin Rashid Opens Global Women’s Forum

The United Arab Emirates leads the region in gender balance achievements and women’s advancement. His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 opening ceremony. The forum has become a crucial platform that shapes women’s future in the digital world. More than 5,000 participants from over 100 countries gathered at this significant event. Dubai continues to strengthen its position as a global center for productive discussions on gender balance and women’s progress. The UAE demonstrates its success through equal opportunities for women in leadership, business, and innovative sectors.

UAE Leadership Champions Women’s Empowerment

Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum leads the UAE’s pioneering efforts toward gender balance in the Middle East. Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum heads the UAE Gender Balance Council and champions women’s roles in development and nation-building initiatives.

The UAE ranks 1st regionally and 7th globally in the 2024 Gender Equality Index by the United Nations Development Program. This soaring win results from forward-thinking legal frameworks and practical policies that line up with cultural values and Sharia principles.

The forum got support from world-class partners:

• World Bank Group
• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
• United Nations Development Program
• World Economic Forum
• Atlantic Council

Sheikha Manal’s strategic collaborations guide the UAE Gender Balance Council to unite efforts across government entities. Women hold 66% of public sector positions and 30% of senior leadership roles – one of the highest ratios worldwide. The UAE’s steadfast dedication reaches beyond its borders through global partnerships that create more opportunities for women to build green societies.

Milestone Achievements in Gender Balance

The United Nations Development Program’s latest data shows UAE’s outstanding progress in gender equality. The nation ranks 7th position globally and holds first place regionally in the Gender Balance Index 2024. These results show how well the UAE has put its gender balance initiatives into action.

UAE’s steadfast dedication to workplace equality has led to remarkable outcomes:

• Women hold 66% of public sector positions
• 30% of leadership roles belong to women
• Women run 10% of private sector companies
• Women received over 44,000 trade licenses from 2018-2022

UAE took a major step forward with new laws that ensure equal pay and require listed companies to have at least one woman on their boards. The UAE Gender Balance Council has raised the bar by asking private sector companies to place women in 30% of leadership positions by 2025.

The World Bank gave UAE a score of 82.5 out of 100 in 2023 for women’s rights. This score stands substantially higher than the regional average of 53.2. UAE earned this recognition through its detailed reforms in workplace policies. The National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women provides reliable foundations that continue to drive gender balance achievements forward.

Technology and Innovation Focus

The UAE’s tech sector shows remarkable female participation. 61% of STEM graduates are women, which exceeds global averages by a lot. This success shows in projects like the Emirates Mars Mission, where women made up 34% of the team and 80% of the Hope Probe’s operations team.

The country’s dedication to tech advancement shines through several key programs:

• The UAE National Program for Coders’ initiative to educate 100 Emirati women in AI technology
• The ‘sAIdaty’ program started through Dubai Business Women Council and Oracle collaboration
• The Future Skills for Women program provides over 1,000 training hours in technology and communication
• Women in Tech accelerator programs offer equity-free funding up to $150,000

H.E. Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, leads the nation’s pioneering efforts in space exploration and state-of-the-art technology. The UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 shows the country’s goal to become a leading AI destination. Women play vital roles in shaping this digital future.

These programs support UAE’s vision to build a diverse, tech-savvy workforce. The country recognizes women’s unique viewpoints that help stimulate innovation and economic growth in the digital age.

UAE’s remarkable progress in gender balance shows its leadership’s vision and steadfast dedication to enabling women. The nation has reached unprecedented milestones through forward-thinking policies and strategic collaborations. It now leads the region and ranks seventh globally in gender equality. Women hold 66% of public sector jobs, lead 30% of senior positions, and represent 61% of STEM graduates.

These numbers tell only part of the story. UAE’s social and economic landscape has transformed fundamentally. The Emirates Mars Mission team’s 34% female participation proves how the nation successfully combines traditional values with modern goals. The UAE Gender Balance Council aims to achieve 30% women representation in private sector leadership by 2025.

UAE takes an integrated approach to enabling women through tech advancement, legal reforms, and education. This makes the nation a global example of achieving gender balance. These foundations will create more opportunities for women in every sector. Women’s vital role in UAE’s green development and future prosperity continues to grow stronger.