H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and wife of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, said on 7 March 2022, that a Gender Balance Strategy will be launched in the UAE over the coming few days.
She added that it’s inspired by the nation’s strategy for the next 50 years as directed by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to enhance the country’s global competitiveness in various fields.
Sheikha Manal stated that the UAE Gender Balance Council has successfully achieved its objectives over the past five years. This is in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make the UAE one of the world’s top 25 countries on the UNDP Human Development Report 2021 Gender Inequality Index.
The UAE Gender Balance Council is a federal entity and was established in 2015. It is responsible for developing and implementing the gender balance agenda in the United Arab Emirates.
Responsibilities of the Council
Reviewing current legislation, policies and programmes, and proposing or updating new legislation or programmes to achieve gender balance at workplaces.
Recommending the implementation of laws, regulations, resolutions and international agreements related to gender balance to ensure non-discrimination against women.
Reviewing and monitoring international competitiveness reports, and developing programmes, plans and policies aimed at reducing the gender gap at workplaces.
Proposing gender balance indexes and submitting them to the Council of Ministers for approval, in addition to seeking to promote the implementation of said indexes in the country in coordination with the local authorities.
Coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to represent the United Arab Emirates in international circles, and proposing cooperation agreements and joint programmes.
Creating a database related to gender balance at workplaces.
Submitting regular reports to the Council of Ministers about the achieved progress, initiatives, projects and requirements of the Council to achieve its goals.
Any other tasks related to the Council’s objectives, commissioned by the Council of Ministers
Its objectives are to reduce the gender gap across all government sectors, enhance the UAE’s ranking in global competitiveness reports on gender equality and achieve gender balance in decision-making positions, as well as promote the UAE’s status as a benchmark for gender balance legislation.
It also launches pioneering initiatives and projects to enhance gender balance throughout the country and contribute to achieving the Council’s vision of positioning the UAE as a world model for gender balance.
