Abu Dhabi, Aug 27 (IANS) Women occupy pride of place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), contributing majorly to the Gulf country's economy, political and social sectors, with their numbers exceeding that of men in many spheres.
The UAE will celebrate on Wednesday the annual Emirati Women's Day -- which this year coincides with elections to the Federal National Council (FNC) -- and especially after the government decided to raise the participation of women to 50 per cent in the Parliament.
Women have joined the FNC over the last three years either through elections or appointment. Currently Dr Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi is Speaker of the FNC.
This year's Women's Day celebrations will be held on the theme, "Women are the Icons of Tolerance", to promote the values of tolerance, which is a national priority.
According to official statistics, women currently account for 66 per cent of the UAE's labour force and have a strong presence in education, health and banking, exceeding the presence of men.
The UAE leads Arab countries in terms of gender balance, according to an annual index issued by the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It also ranks high globally in terms of gender equality, especially with regards to literacy and participation in secondary and higher education, according to a World Economic Forum 2016 report, WAM news agency reported.
In education, 77 per cent of Emirati women enrol in higher education after secondary school, and make up 70 per cent of all university graduates in the UAE.
Emirati women have a strong presence in legal and civil society institutions, especially in the media and community sectors, and empower them in all areas of life.
In 2015, the UAE launched the National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women that provides a framework for all federal and local government entities, the private sector, as well as civil society organisations, to set plans and provide decent living standards and work for women.
The UAE Gender Balance Council brought out a guideline in September 2017 to help workplaces develop clear procedures and adopt concrete action plans on gender balance practices.
A monumental figure for Emirati women's empowerment is Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.
She was a key figure in establishing the General Women's Union and continues to be a pioneer in the UAE women's movement through various programmes and initiatives that not only bolster women in the country, but also regionally and internationally, said WAM, the Emirates News Agency.
Another instrumental figure in ensuring that Emirati women were active participants in the country's development process, was the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who believed in the great potential women possess and their key role, as equal partners, to take part in the development of the nation.
Currently, an Emirati woman chairs the FNC and there are nine female Ministers who serve in the UAE Cabinet. Women also account for 66 per cent of public sector positions and 75 per cent of jobs in the health and education sectors, and have proven their qualities in the sectors of space, justice and artificial intelligence, AI.
According to the World Economic Forum's "Global Gender Gap Report 2018', the UAE was one of the Middle East and North Africa region's best performing countries in terms of closing their overall gender gaps, achieving a total score of 64 per cent.
During the FNC's current 14th legislative chapter, women account for 22.2 per cent of its members. In 2015, the number of commercial businesses owned by Emirati women totalled 22,000 businesses owned by 12,000 women, with investments exceeding UAE Dirham 45 billion.
Emirati businesswomen account for 21 per cent of the total number of businesswomen in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries.
In terms of culture, Emirati women have contributed to the cultural and intellectual mobility of the community, through becoming leading examples of artistic and intellectual innovation. Today, the position of Minister of Culture and Community Development is occupied by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi.
The UAE's leadership -- led by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Vice President, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, have encouraged women to advance their role in the country's development, WAM said.
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