Dr Nawal Al-Hosany is permanent representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency
August 26, 2022
At an International Women’s Day event hosted at Expo City Dubai earlier this year, I said that the road to a sustainable future runs through the fifth UN Sustainability Development Goal – gender equality.
I firmly believe that achieving each of the 17 interlinked Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set up by the global body in 2015 will be boosted if we continue to empower our young girls and women with the mindset and means to make a difference in this world.
There is a reason that “SDG5” is referred to as “the mother of the SDGs”.
For instance, we cannot achieve good health and well-being (SDG3), quality education for all (SDG4), decent work and economic growth (SDG8), reduced inequalities (SDG10), nor can we take true climate action (SDG13) and make energy available to all (SDG7) if we do not achieve gender equality (SDG5).
Gender equality is a cross-cutting goal that directly connects, supports and galvanises the other 16 goals. It is the nucleus in the nexus of challenges we face in the decade of action. And to that end, we need to equip women with the knowledge and the tools to succeed in this new and ever-evolving economic climate. One that calls for a complete revaluation and transformation of existing industries and sectors, as decarbonisation efforts simply must advance in the pursuit of net-zero targets.
I have been fortunate to have grown up in the UAE, where this mindset was ingrained in me from an early age.
Today, it feels appropriate to return to this notion and underline the abiding commitment the UAE makes to its women, as we celebrate Emirati Women’s Day under the theme of “inspiring reality for a sustainable future” – which was announced by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.
Climate change impacts women differently and more disproportionately than men
By always supporting and fostering the ambitions and aspirations of our women, the UAE has tapped into an invaluable source of potential, unlocked new areas of sustainable economic development, and set benchmarks for developing and developed nations around the world – all at the same time as overturning and realigning a few misperceptions along the way.
The UAE’s global ranking of 18th on the Gender Equality Index is testament to the enduring vision of our leadership.
With nine female ministers running crucial, future-focused portfolios that include climate change, youth and advanced technology and nine female ambassadors representing the UAE in key foreign relationships across three continents, our women are driving us towards a sustainable future at home and abroad.
Indeed, the meaningful participation of our women in the public sector has enabled the UAE to better respond to the needs of our people across the board, and is built on a long track record of tremendous progress when it comes to SDG5.
In fact, women today hold two thirds of public sector jobs in the UAE – with 30 per cent in leadership roles. And, as the only country in the Mena region to achieve parity at the parliamentary level, the UAE ranks 30th globally for advancing women’s political empowerment, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2022.
We didn’t arrive here accidentally. This is the result of forward-thinking and rational planning. As one recent example, for the past seven years, the UAE’s Gender Balance Council, under the chairwomanship of Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed, President of the Dubai Women Establishment, has implemented initiatives and projects to enhance gender balance, reduce the gender gap across all government sectors and achieve gender balance in decision-making positions.
Women clear unwanted grass at a muskmelon farm, during a heatwave, on the outskirts of Jacobabad, Pakistan, in May. Reuters
This all stems from the mindset that is fostered in the UAE: a place that reinforces that no goal is out of reach, regardless of gender, and which intuitively understands that the job is never done. This is especially the case with climate action.
Empowering more women and girls to be leaders in the portfolios of climate, the environment, energy, water, food and biodiversity, is not a nice-to-have. It is a must-have. It is imperative to overcoming our greatest challenges.
We know from the research that climate change impacts women differently and more disproportionately than men. It is simple common sense, then, that climate policymaking must increase the opportunities for women to contribute formulating and delivering impactful climate action. In short, more women are needed in climate-related decision-making positions.
The UAE has long recognised this and understands the criticality of involving more women in climate change decision-making positions, a point that is especially pertinent given that 2023 will be the year that puts the UAE at the heart of the global climate change conversation, as we host Cop28.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s flagship event will provide the stage for the UAE to demonstrate its commitment to facilitating an inclusive energy transition, with women at the heart.
As we prepare to convene world leaders to address the deepest impacts of climate change – a major and urgent strand of the sustainable development agenda – we must show that our girls and women can lead the global energy transition and collaboratively design, develop and deliver a future that works for all.
Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023 More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
