In a world torn apart by conflicts and climate change that disproportionately impact women, it is critical that women play a central role in decision-making, a conference in Dubai attended by female leaders, a first lady, chief executives, change makers and trendsetters heard.
With 170 conflicts raging around the world, including the protracted wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, hope for a sustainable peace can come from women around the negotiating table, said Irene Fellin, the Nato Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security.
Although much progress has been made in amplifying women’s voices, “there is general pushback” against women taking leading roles in peace negotiations and mediations, Ms Fellin said during a session at the two-day Global Women’s Forum that began in Dubai on Tuesday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, made a surprise appearance at the forum, which was organised by the Dubai Women Establishment (DWE), and is being attended by more than 4,000 participants.
The third edition of the forum, in Madinat Jumeirah, features 130 discussions and workshops and more than 250 speakers from 65 countries. It is addressing challenges including gender gaps, digital inequality and the effects of global crises on women.
Women bear the brunt of war
Despite largely bearing the brunt of wars, including in the form of sexual violence, women are still at the “lowest level of the pyramid” of decision-making, said Ms Fellin. “If men design the peace process, they will design it by men for men,” she added.
According to the UN, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts in 2023 almost doubled compared to 2022. Four in every 10 people who died due to conflict in 2023 were women and conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50 per cent. In Gaza and Lebanon, the majority of those killed in the war are women and children. The war in Sudan has had “catastrophic impacts on women and girls”, according to a report by UN Women.
Ms Fellin said much more needs to be done, while acknowledging the advances since the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted in 2000, which emphasised the need for increased participation of women in peacebuilding, the protection of women and girls in conflict zones, and the incorporation of gender perspectives in peace processes.
She advocated a “circular approach to mediation” in which men and women play equal roles. “If we have men, we have a co-mediator who is a woman so the two perspectives can be joined,” she said.
The inclusion of women will help to integrate gender perspectives and diversity from the outset for a long-lasting peace, she said. Structural and societal changes are critical to driving these changes while men largely sit in decision-making roles. Gender-responsive leadership where men are aware of the benefits of adding women's perspective should be encouraged, she said.
Author Deepak Chopra said the age-old male narrative has to change. “The masculine energy we have cultivated over thousands of years has led to where we are now – wars, death, eco-destruction, chronic diseases,” he said at the conference. “We need women's empowerment more than anything else, because we need a new environment, a new story that has been absent.” By mainstreaming women narratives, he said, we will bring into our collective consciousness the idea of beauty, love, nurturing and tenderness.
Unlocking women's role in tech
Women taking more active role in politics, Ms Fellin said, is the need of the hour. However, an emerging challenge in which technology is used to silence or attack women online, has to be tackled.
Emine Erdogan, the Turkish first lady, delivered the keynote at the forum, and called for unlocking the potential of women and the inclusion of women in advancing technology. She said a “fair and sustainable future” can be built only through the full participation of women.
“Technologies that do not involve women in their design and production process will not lead us to a better future. I firmly believe that women will be the architects of tomorrow’s societies based on compassion and justice,” Ms Erdogan said.
UAE model of women's empowerment
The forum also heard praise for the UAE's achievements in women's empowerment and for Arab women’s strength and resilience in the face of challenges.
“Palestinian women deserve special tribute for their determination and steadfastness,” said Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, chairperson of Dubai Culture and Art Authority and member of the Executive Council of Dubai. Drawing on the examples of her mother and grandmother who “raised children who lead the nation” today, Sheikha Latifa said “equality is a way of life” in Arab society.
Rejecting what she called “modern stereotypes and prejudices”, Sheikha Latifa said Arab women do not need to “wait for others to advocate for equality” a she pointed out their significant contributions since the beginning of Islam.
Women entered the field of medicine, earning recognition for their expertise in treating the wounded during battles and developing drugs and remedies, she noted. They established the first field hospital in history and expanded their ambitions further, achieving milestones such as piloting aeroplanes in 1933, advancing as atomic scientists in the 1940s, becoming ministers in the 1950s, and ultimately breaking barriers as astronauts in 2021 on their continuing path of achievement.
Sheikha Latifa concluded her speech by emphasising the importance of uniting efforts to shape a promising future that supports women’s achievements globally, free from stereotypes and prejudice. Finally, she called for leveraging the immense influence of women in ways that create meaningful impact across all sectors.
Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Everything Now
Arcade Fire
(Columbia Records)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Meydan Racecourse racecard:
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m
8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
The years Ramadan fell in May
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
More on Quran memorisation:
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
The five pillars of Islam
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
TOUR DE FRANCE INFO
Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
Stages: 21
Number of teams: 22
Number of riders: 198
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
