UAE celebrates International Women's Day

The UAE is celebrating International Women's Day, as the nation continues its journey of empowering Emirati women at "full speed," achieving milestones that enhance the country's sustainable development path.
Women's issues hold a top priority in the vision of the UAE's leadership, which views women as essential and influential partners in addressing challenges and achieving comprehensive development.
Emirati women have played a fundamental role in the country's major achievements over the past year and this year across various fields. The UAE advanced to the seventh position globally and retained the top rank regionally in the 2024 Gender Inequality Index (GII) issued by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The UAE has also enhanced women's representation in the government structure with the appointment of Sana bint Mohammed Suhail as Minister of Family, following the recent establishment of the Ministry of Family.
Another landmark achievement in women's rights advancement was the introduction of the National Policy for the Promotion of Women's Health which aimed at ensuring the highest levels of preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative healthcare services for women throughout their lives in the UAE.
The country has continued to strengthen women's role in sustainable economic development. The Ministry of Economy issued a ministerial decision requiring that at least one seat on the boards of directors of private joint-stock companies be allocated to women after the end of the current board terms.
Additionally, the Ministry of Economy and the General Women's Union signed a cooperation agreement to enhance communication and unify efforts in women's economic empowerment, furthering the UAE's role as a global model for women's advancement.
The General Women's Union also launched the second cohort of the Women's Economic Empowerment Programme, which targets young women and aspiring female entrepreneurs, as well as owners of existing businesses seeking to develop their projects.
Since the UAE's founding, Emirati women have witnessed significant historical transformations, including: increased representation in the Cabinet; holding half of the seats in the Federal National Council; advancing globally in gender balance rankings; equal pay with men; strengthening their presence in business and sciences; participation in key strategic sectors such as space and clean energy; the option to join national service voluntarily; appointment of the first female judge in the UAE; and appointment of the first two female prosecutors in the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
This year's International Women's Day comes as the UAE continues to launch initiatives, programmes, and plans to advance women's status in many societies, leveraging its pioneering experience, which has garnered global recognition.
The UAE's efforts have played a decisive role in adopting several historic international initiatives and resolutions, with one of the most notable being the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution on ensuring equal access to education for all girls, co-authored by the UAE and the United Kingdom in October 2023.
The UAE has held membership in the Executive Board of UN Women for two terms: 2013-2019 and 2023-2025, serving as Presidency of the Executive Board in 2017. It has also contributed more than $46 million (AED 168 million) in voluntary funding to UN Women, solidifying its position as one of the largest global donors and the leading contributor in the region.
Furthermore, women's empowerment in peace and security has been a top priority for the UAE during its 2022-2023 tenure on the UN Security Council. The country has made women's participation in conflict prevention, resolution, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding a cornerstone of its foreign policy.
In 2019, the UAE, in partnership with UN Women, launched the Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Initiative for Women, Peace, and Security, which has since graduated hundreds of female cadets from the Arab region, Africa, and Asia to enhance women's full, equal, and effective participation in the security sector.
The UAE has also joined several international conventions focused on women's rights and protection, including: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2004. The Hours of Work (Industry) Convention in 1982. The Forced Labour Convention in 1982. The Labour Inspection Convention in 1982.
These efforts reaffirm the UAE's commitment to women's empowerment, ensuring that its achievements not only uplift Emirati women but also inspire and positively impact women worldwide.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Al Etihad

7 hours ago

• Al Etihad

Abu Dhabi holds awareness sessions about Emirati Family Growth Programme, Numou and Medeem initiative

21 June 2025 13:17 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Community Development (DCD), in collaboration with the Presidential Court Majalis Abu Dhabi, has hosted a series of sessions for community members to raise awareness on the Medeem initiative and the Emirati Family Growth Program, sessions shed light on the objectives and successes of both initiatives, encouraging youth and soon-to-be-married couples to embrace an approach rooted in Emirati heritage—one that promotes simplicity, mutual understanding, and shared responsibility as the foundation for happy, stable sessions, which were attended by Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of DCD, and Engineer Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of DCD, and included a series of interactive discussion sessions across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al sessions fostered direct engagement with community members, addressing their questions, gathering feedback, and sharing insights on the design and impact of both Medeem and highlighted the critical role of the sessions as open forums for meaningful dialogue where youth and families can share their experiences, including success stories from Medeem, which has empowered couples to build stable marriages with reduced financial burdens. Aligned with the Year of the Community, the department reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with partners like Majalis Abu Dhabi to deliver tailored community programmes that meet the needs of the youth and Emirati families. These efforts underscore the enduring importance of reaching diverse segments of the community across all regions of the emirate. The sessions were held at various community majalis across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra, including Baniyas Majlis, Al Aliah Majlis, Mazid Majlis, Al Masoudi Majlis, and Mohammed Al Mahmoud Majlis. In the Al Dhafra region, a session was also hosted at the Madinat Zayed Majlis. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi

UAE Moments

18 hours ago

• UAE Moments

GCC Approves Unified Tourist Visa, Launch Expected Soon

A major move for Gulf tourism is underway. A single tourist visa covering all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been officially approved, according to UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. In a recent interview, Al Marri confirmed that the visa is now in the final stages of preparation and will be rolled out once the Ministry of Interior and other relevant authorities complete implementation. One Visa, Six Destinations Once in effect, the unified tourist visa will allow international travelers to explore the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain without the need for separate entry permits for each country. The move is expected to simplify travel across the Gulf, support regional tourism goals, and boost visitor numbers—especially for those who want to experience multiple destinations in a single trip. What's Next? While no official rollout date has been announced, the plan is already in motion. The visa is now with the interior ministries and key agencies across the region for final processing. This step aligns with ongoing efforts to promote the Gulf as a connected tourism hub, making cross-border travel smoother, faster, and more attractive to international tourists.

Sharjah 24

a day ago

• Sharjah 24

Mohammed bin Rashid announces changes to UAE government

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, 'Following consultations with my brother, His Highness the President, and with his approval, we announce today changes to the UAE government as follows: establishment of a Ministry of Foreign Trade in the UAE government and appointment of Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi as Minister of Foreign Trade, and renaming the Ministry of Economy to Ministry of Economy and Tourism led by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri.' He added, 'We also announce that the National Artificial Intelligence System will be adopted as an advisory member in the Council of Ministers, the Ministerial Development Council, and all boards of federal entities and government companies starting from January 2026 to support decision-making in these councils, conduct real-time analyses of their decisions, provide technical advice, and enhance the efficiency of government policies adopted by these councils across all sectors.' His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, "The world is undergoing a comprehensive transformation phase… scientifically... economically... and socially... our goal is to prepare today for the coming decades... our goal is to ensure continued prosperity and dignified life for future generations."