Gender balance has been one of the UAE's core aspirations since the foundation of the nation nearly 50 years ago. On this Emirati Women's Day, we can look back proudly at how far we have come. Today, women are integral to our burgeoning public sector, energy sector and government. And yet, we all know that the work is not yet done.
I have been immensely proud to witness a raft of young Emirati women breaking barriers to lead the country and the region towards a new era of modernisation. Whether they have been pioneers in the renewable energy space and or strong female leaders in Emirati diplomacy, our women are presenting the UAE to the wider world as an open, fair and globally competitive economy founded on the virtues of endeavour and ambition.
While we may have become a regional and even global leader in female participation and representation, we must continue to involve more women in the work we do at home and abroad. The critical thinking, agility and, ultimately, the success of our public offices, our economic diversification and the efficiency of our renewable energy projects depend on it.
Rania R Saeed, left, and Futtaim Beljaflah have recently completed their personal training certification and are now teaching cycling classes at Crank, Al Quoz. Courtesy Crank
Brigadier Nabeel Abdullah Alrida, Deputy Director of Operations, honours Lt. Khatoon Ali Al Balooshi who has been serving the force in Dubai since 1977. Wam
Fahima Falaknaz hits the pads with UAE national team coach Mohammed Al Shebli. Pawan Singh / The National
Laila Al Dhaheri. Courtesy: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Badreya Al Marzooqi. Courtesy: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Amal Al Nuaimi. Courtesy: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Noran Al Bannai followed her dreams by opening up her own coffee shop. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
Dana Al Hosani has turned her passion for volunteering into her vocation. Antonie Robertson/The National
Amal Al Mansouri records an Arabic language voiceover for a cartoon for local television. Victor Besa / The National
Mariam Othman, Emirati Founder and CEO of Rashid Centre for People with Determination.
Kholoud Al Kendi, founder of Retaj Design, is a young Emirati entrepreneur who left her job as a banker to follow her passion for graphic design Reem Mohammed / The National
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Shaima Al Jabry, 39, at her home in Baniyas, is the first Emirati to attain a licence as a life coach on October 17, 2018. (Khushnum Bhandari/ The National)
DUBAI , UNITED ARAB EMIRATES , MAY 9 – 2018 :- Abeer Al Shahi , First Emirati to specialise in sign language during the event held at Meydan hotel in Dubai. ( Pawan Singh / The National ) For News. Story by Ruba Haza
Engineering graduates topped the Ministry of Education study called Majors in Demand. Chris Whiteoak / The National
One of Emirate Airline's youngest pilots, Bakhita Al Muhairi, 23, an Emirati, is pictured in the cockpit alongside a colleague.
There is no doubt that the UAE has made giant leaps in recent years. In the public sector, government employment for Emirati women stood at 11.6 per cent in 1995. Today, women hold 66 per cent of government jobs and 33 per cent of leadership positions. What’s more, the UAE’s Federal National Council holds 20 female elected representatives – the same number as male elected representatives. The 50-50 split has seen the UAE rise to the top of the female parliamentary representation index of the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020.
Gender balance was important to the UAE’s Founding Father. Sheikh Zayed strongly believed that true progress can only be achieved when we empower women. He described the women of the UAE as the “makers of generations”.
This vision has also been central to the seminal work of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, who is also chairwoman of the General Women's Union. A major force in the formation of the first women’s organisation in the UAE, Sheikha Fatima has provided female Emiratis with a model of strength, ambition and determination that they can aspire to through her efforts to empower and enable young women across the country.
Today, this vision is becoming a reality. We have 10 female cabinet ministers responsible for some of the country’s most critical and progressive government portfolios. We have a UAE Gender Balance Council. And women are leading in vital sectors outside government. For instance, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi is led by two women. Adnoc has three female chief executives in its leadership mix. And we have a female chairperson of the Emirates Environmental Group.
With this dynamic mix of female leaders at the top of a range of industries and sectors, it has become self-evident that a country’s national competitiveness correlates strongly with various metrics of gender equality. Investing in women enhances productivity, recruitment and retention, and it creates a more inclusive work environment.
Sheikh Zayed strongly believed that true progress can only be achieved when we empower women. Getty Images
We have seen how greater female involvement in the labour force can advance a low-carbon, sustainable industry
Nowhere is this more important than in the renewable energy space, in which I work, and which continues to drive great change and progress from within the UAE. The gender equality that globally competitive nations strive for today should not fall short in the renewable energy sector simply because it is a traditionally male-dominated field. Rather, this should remind us that renewable energy is an industry that seeks urgent realignment and reassessment. Little progress will be achieved by resting on the laurels of outdated and even repressive traditions.
We have seen across the world how a more prominent role for women has led to great community involvement. Moreover, we have seen how greater female involvement in the labour force can advance a low-carbon, sustainable industry and facilitate social changes that advance their standing in societies, such as we have seen with some of UN Women’s projects in Tanzania, Guatemala and other developing countries in their pursuit of the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): gender equality.
This should come as no surprise. And when we consider the drastic changes in mindset and action needed to get the world on track to reach not only the UN’s SDGs, but also the global warming goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement, a diversity of well-informed, analytical minds from an array of backgrounds is critical to overcoming what is perhaps our greatest existential challenge ever: that of turning the tide on climate change and transitioning to a green energy future.
Dr Nawal Al-Hosany says pushing the envelope for greater female representation in the renewable energy sector is about being able to meet the categorical imperatives of our planet. Victor Besa / The National
There is nothing inherently masculine or feminine about either of these imminent challenges. The planet will not respond differently to solutions pioneered by either gender; it will only recognise and respond to the momentous shifts in human behaviour and consumption habits required to keep our earth breathing long into the future. And the gender mix of the people making the decisions, which can affect these changes in behaviour and consumption, should reflect this truth.
For us in the UAE, pushing the envelope for greater female representation in industry is not simply the right thing to do, from a gender equality perspective, it is about being able to meet the categorical imperatives of a planet crying out for sustainable solutions. As we forge ahead with our plans to meet the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050, the UN’s SDGs and the Paris Agreement, I can guarantee you that women will be instrumental in our success.
Dr Nawal Al-Hosany is a permanent representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
