'UAE leads in women empowerment'

Wam/Abu Dhabi

Shaikha Fatima announces Emirati Women's Day festivities that begin tomorrow.

Emirati Women's Day celebrations announced by Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, will begin on Friday, August 28.

The concept of women's empowerment in the UAE is no longer just a term or a theoretical concept, but has turned into a practical reality, embodied in the active participation of women in different spheres of public life, thanks to the wise leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan," said Shaikha Fatima.

August 28 was declared Emirati Women's Day earlier this year marking the creation of the GWU in 1975, and is considered an opportunity to celebrate Emirati women's achievements since the group was founded.

The day will from now will be a historic day for mothers of martyrs. It will be also a day dedicated to Emirati women serving in the Armed Forces.

Shaikha Fatima underscored the cohesion between the leadership and citizens, citing the orders of the UAE President to make November 30 Martyr's Day.

She called on Emirati women to harness available resources to advance their cause, urging them to take part in the upcoming Federal National Council elections.

She endorsed the logo for Emirati Women's Day which symbolises the identity of Emirati women and depicts the country's flag with an illustration of a woman on one section.

Shaikha Fatima expressed her satisfaction with the response and enthusiasm of young Emirati women joining up for national service.

She recalled that the enlisting of Emirati women in the Armed Forces dates back to the era of the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. She said Emirati women have been enlisting in the Armed Forces in droves, despite the fact that they were not obliged by any law to do so.

"It reflects the legendary epic of loyalty to the homeland and the leadership as well as willingness to take on national responsibility and partnership in the defence of national sovereignty, dignity and national gains."

The National Strategy for the Advancement of Women, launched by Shaikha Fatima in 2002, is one of the major achievements of the march of the Union, most notably of all in the progress of women empowerment.

The strategy provides a roadmap for the empowerment of women in eight main areas: education, health, the economy, law-making, the environment, the social domain, information, political participation and decision-making.

At present, women hold around 30 per cent of the senior jobs related to the decision-making process, 10 per cent of the jobs in the diplomatic corps, seven seats on the Federal National Council, representing 17.5 per cent of the total number of seats, one holding the post of Senior Deputy FNC Speaker.

UAE women also hold four ministerial positions and the position of the secretary-general of the cabinet.

On December 9, the UAE Cabinet agreed that there should be women members on the boards of trustees of all governmental authorities, institutions and companies.

Shaikha Fatima also launched, in March 2015, the Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women in the UAE, 2015-2021, which provides a framework and reference for all federal and government institutions and civil society organisations in developing plans and work programmes to empower women in all areas.

She expressed confidence in the strategy's contribution to women's progress which the country seeks for its people through partnerships with government and federal institutions, civil society organisations and regional and international organisations and bodies, and for the strategy to serve as a framework in the development of plans and programmes in the UAE.

This would raise the UAE to a position on a par with developed countries in the field of women's empowerment and leadership, she said.