Latest news with #EqualOpportunities
Arabian Business
01-08-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE Cabinet approves major reorganisation of Gender Balance Council under Sheikh Mohammed
The UAE Cabinet has approved a resolution to reorganise the UAE Gender Balance Council, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The move aims to enhance participation of all community segments in the nation's development journey, promote equal opportunities, and solidify the Emirates' position as a model for gender balance. The resolution expands the Council's scope and strengthens its roles by developing legislative and regulatory frameworks to advance gender balance across government and private sectors. This aligns with the country's vision and boosts its position in global indices. UAE Cabinet approves reorganisation of Gender Balance Council The Council aims to achieve gender balance and equal opportunities across all sectors in the UAE, support men's and women's contributions to sustainable development, and ensure harmony with national priorities related to family, motherhood, and community. It seeks to position the Emirates as a role model for gender equality whilst enhancing coordination among federal and concerned entities. Reporting directly to the Cabinet, the Council's mandates include proposing and reviewing policies, legislation, and strategies to promote gender balance, coordinating with authorities for approval and implementation, and monitoring global reports to suggest improvements. The Council will develop mechanisms to measure progress, establish a national database, conduct studies on regional and international trends, and represent the UAE in regional and international organisations and events. New council membership The Cabinet has approved the restructuring of the UAE Gender Balance Council, chaired by Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with membership including: Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy Omar Obaid Mohammed Al Hassan Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women's Union Reem Abdullah Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood Faisal Saeed bin Butti Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre Khalid Abdulrahim Al Harmoodi, Assistant Secretary General for Cabinet Affairs Support Hessa Abdulrahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Community Development Ahmed Yousef Al Nasser, Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Market Policies at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation According to a statement by the Dubai Media Office, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Wife of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, expressed gratitude to the leadership for prioritising gender balance as a national goal and a pillar of sustainable development. 'This steadfast support has elevated the UAE to a leading position globally in this critical area, making the Emirati model a benchmark for others regionally and worldwide,' the report said, citing her. Sheikha Manal stressed that the UAE Gender Balance Council will redouble its efforts, working with government and private sector partners to fulfil the leadership's vision, aiming to position the UAE as a leader across all fields. She highlighted the achievements of Emirati women across sectors, including science and life sciences, demonstrating their capability and honouring the trust placed in them by the leadership. She also emphasised women's vital role in the UAE's progress and global competitiveness, adding that the country provides ample opportunities for women to continue this success and represent the nation proudly on the international stage. She thanked previous members of the UAE Gender Balance Council for their contributions, which boosted the UAE's competitiveness, and congratulated new members, confident that their expertise will strengthen the Council's leadership in achieving successes aligned with the UAE's vision for growth, prosperity, and excellence. She added that the Council will continue collaborating with all entities to develop policies and regulations for gender balance in both public and private sectors, in line with the UAE Government's directives and aspirations. In addition, Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted that the UAE's progress in gender balance has inspired nations across the region and the world. 'With determination and dedication, the UAE has shown that excellence and global leadership are within reach in any field,' she said, according to the statement. She affirmed that, under the guidance of H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Council will strive to position the Emirates as a leader in sharing best practices for gender equality. Al Marri pointed out that the Cabinet's resolution, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to reorganise the UAE Gender Balance Council will strengthen its role and deepen efforts to promote gender balance as a principle in both government and private sectors, reflecting the country's focus on diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities across all levels.
The National
31-07-2025
- Business
- The National
UAE Gender Balance Council restructured to boost equality drive
The UAE Cabinet on Thursday approved changes to the country's Gender Balance Council in support of a major drive to provide equal opportunities. The Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, agreed a resolution to reorganise the body in an effort to expand its scope and strengthen its role in shaping legislation and guiding decision-making. The UAE Gender Balance Council was established in May 2015 with the remit of ensuring Emirati women play a leading role in the development of the country and to help the Emirates become a global leader in championing equal rights. Reporting directly to the Cabinet, the council's key functions include proposing and reviewing legislation, policies and programmes to achieve gender balance in the workplace. The council is expected to develop frameworks to measure progress and conduct specialised studies domestically and globally. The resolution included the restructuring of the membership of the council, which is chaired by Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed. The new-look council comprises Mona Al Marri, Vice President; Younis Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance; Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy; Omar Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs; Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the General Women's Union; Reem Al Falasi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood; Faisal Al Muhairi, Director General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources; Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre; Khalid Al Harmoodi, Assistant Secretary General for Cabinet Affairs Support; Hessa Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Community Development; and Ahmed Al Nasser, Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Market Policies at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Sheikha Manal, also president of the council, praised the UAE government for prioritising gender balance as a national goal. She said the council will redouble its efforts to bolster equality and work closely with the government and private sector to fulfil its mission. She hailed the outstanding contributions already being made by Emirati women across a range of sectors. Making strides The UAE has taken significant steps to empower Emirati women and provide a platform for progress. The UAE made the decision in December 2018 to ensure that 50 per cent of the Federal National Council – the country's consultative parliamentary body – would be women. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of ministers serving in the UAE Cabinet are now women. Women also constitute 46 per cent of Stem – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – graduates in the UAE and 80 per cent of the scientific leadership team in the Emirates Mars Mission. In September, the UAE issued a directive requiring private companies to ensure female representation on boards of directors to bolster gender equality efforts. The move, announced by the Ministry of Economy, was aimed at private joint-stock companies and came into force in January. Such companies are businesses owned by their investors and require a board of directors to oversee operations. In March 2024, the UAE was ranked seventh on a global list of nations for efforts to promote gender equality on the Gender Inequality Index, which is part of a UN human development report. Bridging the gap The global gender gap has closed at its fastest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic, but parity could be as much as 123 years away, a World Economic Forum report issued in June found. WEF's Global Gender Gap Report 2025 revealed improvements had been made to remove barriers to progress for women but much work was still to be done.
Zawya
31-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE Cabinet issues resolution reorganising UAE Gender Balance Council
DUBAI - Chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE Cabinet has approved a resolution to reorganise the UAE Gender Balance Council. This step reinforces the UAE's steadfast commitment to enhancing the participation of all community segments in the nation's development journey, promoting equal opportunities, and solidifying its global standing as a model for gender balance. The resolution aims to expand the Council's scope and strengthen its strategic roles by developing supportive legislative and regulatory frameworks to advance gender balance across government and private sectors. This aligns with the UAE's forward-looking vision and boosts its position in relevant global indices. The Council's objectives include achieving gender balance and equal opportunities across all sectors in the UAE, supporting men and women's contributions to sustainable development, and ensuring harmony with national priorities related to family, motherhood, and community. It also seeks to position the UAE as a global role model for gender equality while enhancing coordination among federal and concerned entities to create an enabling environment. Reporting directly to the Cabinet, the Council's key mandates include proposing and reviewing policies, legislation, and strategies to promote gender balance, coordinating with relevant authorities for approval and implementation, and monitoring global reports to suggest improvements. It will also develop mechanisms to measure progress, establish a comprehensive national database, conduct specialised studies on regional and international trends, and represent the UAE in relevant regional and international organizations and events. The UAE Cabinet has also approved the restructuring of the UAE Gender Balance Council, chaired by H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the membership of Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President; Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance; Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy; Omar Obaid Mohammed Al Hassan Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Huda Al Hashimi, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs; Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women's Union; Reem Abdullah Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood; Faisal Saeed bin Butti Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources; Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre; Khalid Abdulrahim Al Harmoodi, Assistant Secretary General for Cabinet Affairs Support; Hessa Abdulrahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Community Development; in addition to Ahmed Yousef Al Nasser - Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Market Policies at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, expressed her gratitude to the wise leadership for prioritising gender balance as a national goal and a key pillar of sustainable development. She noted that this steadfast support has elevated the UAE to a leading position globally in this critical area, making the Emirati model a benchmark for others regionally and worldwide. She stressed that the UAE Gender Balance Council will redouble its efforts, working closely with government and private sector partners to fulfill the vision of the wise leadership, aiming to position the UAE as a global leader across all fields. She commended the united teamwork over the years, which has driven the nation to its current world-class standing. Sheikha Manal also highlighted the outstanding achievements of Emirati women across diverse sectors, including science and life sciences, demonstrating their capability and honoring the trust placed in them by the leadership. Her Highness emphasised women's vital role in the UAE's progress and global competitiveness, adding that the country provides ample opportunities for women to continue this success and represent the nation proudly on the international stage. She extended her thanks to the previous members of the UAE Gender Balance Council for their significant contributions, which boosted the UAE's global competitiveness. She congratulated the new members, confident that their varied expertise will strengthen the Council's leadership in achieving further successes aligned with the UAE's vision for growth, prosperity, and global excellence. She added that the Council will continue collaborating with all relevant entities to develop supportive policies and regulations for gender balance in both public and private sectors, in line with the UAE Government's directives and future aspirations. Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted that the UAE's outstanding progress in gender balance has inspired nations across the region and the world. Al Marri stressed that with determination and dedication, the UAE has shown that excellence and global leadership are within reach in any field. She affirmed that, under the guidance of H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Council will strive to position the UAE as a global leader in sharing best practices for gender equality. Mona Al Marri also pointed out that the Cabinet's resolution, led by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to reorganise the UAE Gender Balance Council will strengthen its strategic role and will deepen efforts to promote gender balance as a core principle in both government and private sectors, reflecting the UAE's focus on diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities across all levels. Al Marri noted that the nation's commitment to advancing women's rights and gender equality through innovative laws and policies has significantly improved its global competitiveness rankings.
