UAE Codifies Gender Parity with Landmark 50-Year Vision
The UAE celebrates a historic double milestone in 2025. Emirati Women’s Day turns 10 years old, and the General Women’s Union marks its 50th anniversary. The UAE has unveiled the ‘Mother of the Nation 50:50 Vision,’ a complete framework that enables Emirati women over the next five decades.
This bold vision builds on the UAE’s 10-year old position as a global leader in gender balance. Women now hold 50 percent of the Federal National Council seats and 26 percent of ministerial positions. The UAE stands 13th globally in the 2025 UNDP Gender Equality Index. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s strategy through the ‘Mother of the Nation 50:50 Vision’ places Emirati women as key partners in the nation’s growth experience, both at home and abroad. The vision rests on three core pillars: family and national identity, governance and strategies, and international mutually beneficial alliances. These pillars strengthen the UAE’s position among world leaders who enhance women’s quality of life.
UAE launches Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision on Emirati Women’s Day 2025
Image Source: ZAWYA
The UAE launched the groundbreaking “Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision” at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on August 28, 2025. This strategic framework celebrates Emirati Women’s Day and sets a five-decade roadmap to advance women in society of all types.
Leaders announce new vision on August 28
UAE’s senior leadership gathered to show the detailed vision at a high-profile ceremony. Government officials, diplomats, and prominent women leaders attended the event. His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, highlighted the vision as the life-blood of the nation’s progress.
“The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision represents our steadfast dedication to ensuring Emirati women remain at the vanguard of our nation’s development experience,” Sheik Mohammed stated during the launch. “This vision builds upon five decades of remarkable achievements and sets forth an ambitious path for the next fifty years.”
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, shared a recorded message that highlighted what the vision means.
“Today marks not just a celebration of achievements but a renewed commitment to elevating the status of Emirati women across all domains,” Sheikha Fatima remarked. “This vision embodies our dedication to ensuring women’s contributions remain central to the UAE’s continued prosperity.”
Emirati Women’s Day 2025 theme: ‘Hand in Hand, We Celebrate 50 Years’
This year’s Emirati Women’s Day theme “Hand in Hand, We Celebrate 50 Years” carries special significance. The slogan celebrates the golden jubilee of the General Women’s Union and highlights the collaborative spirit that shaped women’s advancement in the UAE since its founding.
Nationwide celebrations feature exhibitions of women’s contributions over five decades. Panel discussions with pioneering female leaders and community events showcase women’s achievements in fields of all types, from government to entrepreneurship.
Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, explained the theme’s significance: “The phrase ‘Hand in Hand’ reflects our belief that progress requires partnership between genders, generations, and institutions. The 50-year milestone gives us a chance to celebrate achievements while looking forward to even greater accomplishments.”
Government buildings, cultural landmarks, and commercial centers across the seven emirates light up in campaign colors. This creates a visual reminder of the national celebration.
Vision arranges with UAE Centennial 2071 and Year of Community
The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision connects with two major national initiatives: UAE Centennial 2071 and 2025’s designation as the Year of Community. Officials emphasized that giving women the ability to succeed remains central to UAE’s long-term aspirations of becoming the world’s leading nation by its centennial.
“This vision is a vital component of our Centennial 2071 strategy,” explained Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future. “We recognize that achieving global leadership requires tapping into the full potential of all citizens, with women playing a significant role in building our knowledge economy.”
The vision’s launch during the Year of Community highlights the connection between women’s advancement and community development. The framework supports women’s roles in deepening their commitment to family cohesion, preserving national identity, and enhancing community resilience.
Specialized committees will form to develop action plans across each of the three strategic pillars outlined in the framework. Implementation starts right away.
Sheikha Fatima leads 50-year legacy of women’s empowerment
Image Source: Seema
The UAE’s remarkable progress in gender equality stems from a visionary leader who has shown steadfast dedication for five decades. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the beloved “Mother of the Nation,” has led initiatives that have altered the map for women throughout Emirati society.
Founding of the General Women’s Union in 1975
The General Women’s Union (GWU) opened its doors in 1975, marking a defining moment in UAE history. Sheikha Fatima’s vision brought this first formal institution dedicated to women’s affairs to life, just four years after the UAE formed. This pioneering organization created the framework needed to advance women’s rights, education, and social participation in all seven emirates.
Sheikha Fatima guided the GWU to develop programs focused on literacy, vocational training, and community participation. These initiatives built essential foundations as the young nation shaped its identity. Women found spaces to develop skills, share ideas, and contribute to national development through the GWU—laying groundwork for today’s all-encompassing framework of advancement.
Key milestones in education, leadership, and diplomacy
Sheikha Fatima has championed vital progress in multiple areas over five decades. She supported equal access to education, which has led to Emirati women now making up over 70% of university graduates. Her influence has helped reshape workplaces, with women now working in engineering, aviation, and military service—fields once dominated by men.
Her persistent support for women’s political participation has transformed governance. The UAE moved from having no female federal representatives to achieving 50% representation in the Federal National Council, showing her dedication to inclusive leadership.
She built important channels for cross-cultural dialog through the Arab Women Organization and programs that connect female leaders across regions. These platforms help Emirati women build bridges in international relations while highlighting the UAE’s forward-thinking approach to gender balance.
Her global recognition and institutional leadership
Sheikha Fatima’s impact reaches beyond UAE borders through her prestigious roles and honors. She leads the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and chairs the Family Development Foundation. These positions help her support women’s advancement while maintaining family wellbeing.
The United Nations and various global organizations have recognized her humanitarian work. She has built mutually beneficial alliances with international bodies to create frameworks for women’s advancement that surpass cultural boundaries and guide emerging economies.
The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision builds on this extraordinary legacy. It turns five decades of progress into a clear plan for the future. The UAE celebrates Emirati Women’s Day 2025 with this vision, which honors past achievements and charts the course ahead under Sheikha Fatima’s continued guidance.
Vision 50:50 sets strategic pillars for future development
Image Source: Aletihad Newspaper
The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision creates a complete framework with three main pillars to lift Emirati women’s status over the next fifty years. The UAE launched this roadmap during Emirati Women’s Day 2025 celebrations to become a global leader in improving women’s quality of life at every stage.
Pillar 1: Family and national identity
Women play a crucial role in preserving national identity and strengthening family bonds. This pillar supports People of Determination and senior Emirati women through specialized programs that ensure dignified living conditions throughout their lives. The vision builds interdependent, cohesive and supportive families that help women contribute more to society. This approach shows UAE’s steadfast dedication to end discrimination against women and girls, which they consider a basic human right and vital for environmentally responsible development.
Pillar 2: Governance and strategic integration
A flexible national governance framework for women’s affairs stands at the heart of the second pillar, which integrates with government entities. The Women’s Progress Monitoring System will become stronger, and equal opportunity frameworks will take shape in education, employment, and economic sectors. Workplace policies help women balance their professional and family responsibilities. The General Women’s Union works with government secretariats to implement this governance framework. This pillar connects with UAE’s Principles of the 50, which see human capital as the key driver for future growth.
Pillar 3: International developmental partnerships
UAE leads globally in shaping women’s future through worldwide collaborations. The country signs mutually beneficial alliances that showcase its forward-looking vision and create high-value international partnerships to enable women worldwide. UAE invested USAED 55.08 million over 3.5 years with UN Women to improve women’s status globally, which shows their commitment. The vision puts UAE representatives in UN agencies and creates international awards to showcase women’s achievements. These partnerships help Emirati women secure more global negotiation and decision-making roles, particularly in future sectors like technology, artificial intelligence, climate, and energy.
This strategic framework renews the national pledge to make Emirati women a global inspiration, building on the five-decade legacy of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak on Emirati Women’s Day 2025.
UAE positions Emirati women as global leaders in future sectors
Image Source: UN Sustainable Development Group – the United Nations
The life-blood of the Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision aims to establish Emirati women as pioneers in emerging sectors that will shape global development over the coming decades. This strategic framework places women at the vanguard of technological and environmental breakthroughs through targeted initiatives.
Focus on AI, climate, energy, and space
The UAE has made remarkable strides in positioning women as leaders in future-oriented fields. Emirati women now represent 45% of the national space sector and 20% of the nuclear sector. The Technology Innovation Institute employs more than 355 women scientists and engineers, with 157 being Emirati nationals. These professionals advance research in AI, robotics, quantum technologies, cryptography, and space science.
This is a big deal as it means that women now hold 30% of technology roles in the UAE, surpassing the global average of 25%. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, leads the UAE’s digital transformation agenda. Among other notable achievements, Nora Al Matrooshi completed NASA’s astronaut training in 2024, becoming the first Emirati and Arab woman astronaut.
Sectoral foresight labs and education in future sciences
National sectoral laboratories form the foundation of this vision. These labs forecast women’s futures and serve as agile accelerators to tackle upcoming challenges in vital sectors. The platforms act as incubators for women-led breakthroughs across critical domains.
The UAE’s strong educational foundation shows in its numbers – 56% of government university STEM graduates are women, well above the global average of 35%. In spite of that, the vision recognizes gaps, especially when you have emerging technologies where women represent 23.8% of GenAI learners in the UAE. New initiatives now target girls’ education toward future-focused disciplines.
Support for women in global negotiations and summits
The 50:50 Vision strategically elevates Emirati women in international diplomacy by strengthening their presence in global decision-making positions. Women receive support to participate in international negotiations through UAE-based leadership platforms.
The UAE’s steadfast dedication shines through programs like the UAE-UN Women military and peacekeeping training initiative. The program’s first round attracted 134 participants from the Arab region. These efforts boost Emirati women’s global influence as they shape international dialogs on technology, climate action, and environmentally responsible development.
Vision 50:50 integrates national policies and global partnerships
Image Source: ZAWYA
The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision relies on strong monitoring systems and strategic collaborations that have made UAE a global leader in supporting women worldwide. The vision combines domestic policies with international partnerships to create lasting progress.
Monitoring systems and equal opportunity frameworks
The Women’s Progress Monitoring System forms the heart of the 50:50 Vision and tracks gender equality in all sectors. This complete framework will give equal chances in education, employment, and economic participation. It also helps balance work and family life. UAE’s Government made it mandatory for Emirati women to serve on boards of federal bodies and private companies in December 2012. The UAE Gender Balance Council started its work in 2015. It reviews laws and policies to improve gender balance at work.
UN collaborations and international awards
UAE has become a global leader in gender equality through its work with international organizations. The country pledged AED 55.08 million to UN Women’s global initiatives in March 2024. This support will continue for 3.5 years. UAE ranks as the tenth largest donor to UN Women with contributions exceeding AED 95.47 million since 2010. The UN Women Liaison Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council opened its doors in Abu Dhabi in 2016. This was the region’s first such office. UAE also holds a seat on UN Women’s Executive Board from 2023 to 2025, which helps shape global gender policies.
Bilateral initiatives and UAE’s role in global women’s agenda
UAE has invested AED 8.81 billion in global initiatives that support women between 2017 and 2024. The country champions women-focused foreign policy through international platforms like the Global Women’s Forum Dubai. This forum works together with the World Bank Group, OECD, UNDP, and World Economic Forum. These efforts make UAE a key architect of progressive gender policies and showcase Emirati women’s achievements globally.
The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision marks a defining moment for the United Arab Emirates. It celebrates five decades of progress and sets an ambitious path forward. This complete framework builds on remarkable achievements that have placed Emirati women at the vanguard of national development in every sector. The vision’s three strategic pillars are the foundations of sustained advancement for the next fifty years. These pillars focus on making family and national identity stronger, creating strong governance systems, and building international partnerships.
Sheikha Fatima’s exceptional leadership deserves special recognition throughout this trip. Her steadfast dedication has transformed Emirati women’s chances since she established the General Women’s Union in 1975. Women now make up 50 percent of the Federal National Council. Their numbers in STEM education and technological roles exceed global averages. Their growing presence in space exploration, artificial intelligence, and climate science shows how targeted educational initiatives and support systems have succeeded.
The 50:50 Vision’s arrangement with broader national strategies like UAE Centennial 2071 will give women a central role in the country’s long-term aspirations. Sophisticated monitoring frameworks and equal opportunity policies developed recently will keep the momentum toward complete gender parity. Strategic collaborations worldwide improve these efforts and position the UAE as an influential voice to promote women’s ability worldwide.
Emirati Women’s Day 2025 celebrates historic achievements and declares future ambitions after five methodical decades of progress. The Mother of Nation 50:50 Vision stands as evidence of UAE’s lasting belief that national prosperity depends on enabling women as equal partners in development. We have a long way to go, but we can build on this progress. Emirati women stand ready to lead their nation toward even greater achievements in the next fifty years.
