DUBAI // Progress made by Emirati women, particularly in the political and educational arenas, continues to narrow the gender gap in the country, according to a report published yesterday by the World Economic Forum.
The UAE was the highest-ranked country in the Arab world, placing it 103rd out of the 134 countries included in the annual Global Gender Gap Report, which noted particular improvements in the areas of literacy and political empowerment.
"New data shows that literacy rates for women are now higher than those of men, there are small gains in primary, secondary and tertiary enrolment data, and the proportion of women holding ministerial-level positions has increased," the report noted. The UAE rose from 112th last year, but was down from a high of 101st in 2006.
However, in the five years since the report was first published, the authors noted, the UAE has been among the most improved countries in terms of fostering gender equality.
Though the UAE came in 103rd overall, the country was 37th in the educational attainment category and 60th in the global assessment of political empowerment. However, the country did not fare so well in the categories of economic participation and opportunity or health and survival, coming in at 120th and 110th, respectively.
Fatima al Marri was one of the nine women who joined the Federal National Council (FNC) in 2006, the first time women were admitted. In the past four years, women have been increasingly audible in the 40-member council, she said.
"There is a feeling that we are equal to the men," said Ms al Marri, from Dubai. "There are still some men who are more experienced because they have been in politics for a long time, but the women really made it catching up to the men."
"There is an improvement between 2006 and today." Dr Fatima al Sayegh, a professor of UAE history and society at UAE University, said it has not been the political leadership only that has helped advance women's empowerment, but also the women who have "worked hard and got what they deserved".
"The leadership has been so keen for women to take their rights, not only because of a social necessity, but because it is a national necessity because of the imbalance in the demographics," she said. According to Dr al Sayegh, women outnumber men in higher education and account for 75 per cent of students enrolled in colleges and universities in the country.
However, improvements are still needed in civil rights, including enabling Emirati women to pass their nationality to their children, she said.
The World Economic Forum, based in Geneva, placed Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden at the top of the 2010 gender report. Pakistan, Chad and Yemen occupy the bottom three spots. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Kuwait was ranked 105th, Bahrain 110th, Qatar 117th, Oman 122nd and Saudi Arabia 129th.
zconstantine@thenational.ae
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PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.