ABU DHABI // Arab women should be judged on their abilities rather than their gender, the first lady of Syria said yesterday.
Asma al Assad said that while she wanted more women to be involved in politics, culture, medicine and the business world, it had to be on individual merit, not because they were women.
"I don't see a difference between Arab men and women," she said. "I believe that we should look at women based on their abilities more than gender."
Mrs Assad is in the capital to take part in the second Arab Women's Conference, being held under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, president of the Arab Women Organization.
Female academics, political and community figures from across the Arab world are attending the three-day conference to discuss the effects of globalisation on the security of women in the region.
Hope and opportunity are inextricable from peace and stability, said Mrs Assad, who was one of several first ladies at the Emirates Palace hotel on the first day of the conference.
"My desire is to see greater participation from everybody in the Middle East, regardless of gender, age or social background," she said. "For development and change to be successful it has to happen with us and by us, rather from somebody else and by somebody else."
Developing the potential of young people in Syria, where 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 25, is the one of the keys to progress, she said.
"We are very proud of the significant achievements Arab women have accomplished in recent years, but we can only build on them if we base our evaluation of them on practical realities."
Mrs Assad cited the achievements of women, including a Syrian vice president, Najah al Attar - the first and only female deputy leader in the Arab world - as proof of progress in her country. But one of the main challenges remaining is something that affects people regardless of gender or nationality: how to balance career and family.
As countries across the region take a more inclusive view of women, Mrs Assad said that in some cases legislation was not enough, unless political will led to tangible changes.
"Among the changes that I would like to see are words translating into actions across the Arab region, because without the political aspect it will not be possible to change the woman's role," she said. "Politics needs to take a lead on this. No matter what you add in legislation, if we don't change the mindset this will not help."
In Syria, women have been in the parliament for three decades and hold 13 per cent of seats. That is still "not enough", she said.
Mrs Assad said the question should not necessarily be one of equal rights, but more of equal opportunities. For example, women should have the opportunity to join the armed forces but not be required to do so, she said.
Before misconceptions about women in the Arab world can be confronted, the major achievements of women across the region should "become the norm".
One area that is commonly misunderstood is the role of Islam, which should not be seen as "stopping the development of women", she said.
Born in Britain to Syrian parents, the former Asma Akhras was an investment banker before she married Bashar al Assad, the Syrian president, in 2000.
While she is known for her humanitarian work, she said the people who work behind the scenes in the humanitarian field are her role models.
"Everybody who doesn't accept that there is impossibility in life is a leader for me," she said.
Mrs Assad described Sheikha Fatima as a "very, very special lady" with an ability to "reach out to people to remove barriers, to create connections". "In public life it is all too easy to lose sight of the big picture, of what really counts and the real issues facing people in day to day life," she said.
"It is so important to continue to engage on an active basis with people from all walks of life, listening to their concerns and aspirations. In that way, the resulting change is more successful and tangible."
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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.”
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
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Under 18 – Madenat
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