DUBAI // Conservative and constrained - that is the image many foreigners may have of the UAE's women.
But Emirati women themselves tell a somewhat different story, with many insisting that where they are conservative, it is because they prefer it that way. To that end, dozens of young Emirati women have spent much of this week trying to dispel foreigners' mistaken impressions of them.
At an Insight Dubai conference held at Dubai Women's College, 57 female students from Asia, Africa, Europe, America, and the Arab League, were each assigned an Emirati "buddy" to teach them about local culture and the rights of women in the Emirates.
The Emiratis took the opportunity to stress that they were treated as equals, that the UAE is not as conservative as some believe - and that they have more rights than ever before.
Although there are still some families who do not give their women a free hand in choosing their husband or their job, that is changing, according to some.
Maryam Baniyas, 20, a business and IT student, believes parents need to be more lenient when dealing with their daughters.
However, she said parents should remain to some extent conservative, in order to protect them.
She was, she told her Palestinian "buddy", the first woman in her family to be allowed to drive - "even though I am still not married," she said. "My parents watch TV and see people and know the new generation is different," she added.
Her classmate, Maryam Mohamed, 21, agreed. "This time is not the same as before though - after education, women have to do something. Women now are very important."
Amna Sulaiman, 21, a pharmacy student from Dubai, said many offices now have a large number of women staff.
"I would be able to move to Abu Dhabi for work because I already have family there," she said.
"I think this viewpoint will change, even dads change their views. It depends on the generation and how it changes."
Latifa Ahmed, 20, a pharmacy student, suggested that although women have more freedom than they did, it remained in their best interests to stay at home.
"Yes, women are half of society, and yes women have more freedom now," she said.
"We are not very conservative here in the Emirates. Islam is not trying to suppress women. We even have female ministers in the country.
"But women should live with her family for protection. A woman has all the rights she needs here. What else would she want?"
Both Hanan al Bloushi, 21, a communications student, and her classmate, Alia al Falasi, said their families would allow them to work away from home. "Our parents know in this field, we need to move around," said Miss al Falasi.
Without her parents' consent, she said, she would not consider leaving home, out of respect to her culture and religion.
On the issue of marriage, both students said they would prefer it to be arranged by their families. "This is best for us, we believe," said Miss al Bloushi. "It is not a bad thing - the girls here who have an arranged marriage, in this generation, usually want it themselves. My parents have my best interest at heart and know what I want."
Miss Ahmed added: "Many also ask me about the dowry, asking if it is a form of buying the women, but I explain to them no, it is given to a women as a gift.
"Even in arranged marriages, women have their own opinion, can say yes or no. "
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
