H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (The Mother of the Nation), 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 (FDF), launched the National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women in the UAE for the years 2023-2031, on the occasion of the Emirati Women’s Day 2023, under the theme of “We Collaborate for Tomorrow”.

This strategy comes in line with Sheikha Fatima’s vision to achieve fair and comprehensive women’s participation in all fields, enhance the quality of life in society, provide a general framework, reference and guidance for decision makers in federal and local government institutions, as well as the private sector and civil society, to promote the efforts of women’s empowerment and leadership in the UAE.

On the occasion, Sheikha Fatima said, “The UAE has witnessed, since its foundation by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, major transformation across various economic, social and political domains, especially in women’s affairs and her social participation. Women’s empowerment also witnessed exceptional attention by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, as well as President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates.

“Emirati women have assumed a unique and prestigious position in all sectors of society, and the UAE has become a role model in the field of human development and indicators of global competitiveness, especially indicators of bridging the gender gap, which enabled the UAE, thanks to women empowerment policies, to rank first among Arab countries and 68th globally in global competitiveness indicators in 2022.”

The National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women includes three main guides: Establishing interdependent, cohesive and supportive families to enhance the role of women in society; Integration of women in the labour market and future sectors; and Developing capacities and enhancing future skills of women.

The main enabling guides of the National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women include developing the legislative and regulatory environment that supports and enables women’s quality of life and strengthening institutional work and partnerships at the national and international levels.

The General Women’s Union, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, and the General Secretariat of the Executive Councils in each emirate or their representative, are the main partners in following up the implementation of the National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women, while the supporting partners include all ministries, federal, local and private agencies and institutions, as well as relevant civil society organisations.

The relevant institutions are tasked with developing operational plans every three years and approve them as part of their strategic plans. The plans and programmes developed are to be approved by the Cabinet and Executive Councils in each emirate.

The General Women’s Union is to hold periodic meetings with the concerned institutions to follow up and evaluate the progress made in implementing the plans and propose amendments if necessary to ensure the achievement of the desired goals.