On this great occasion, we extend our deep appreciation and gratitude to our wise leadership, which has been providing unlimited support to Emirati women since the very establishment of the UAE federation.
The country’s Constitution guaranteed women’s rights and established the principle of equitable treatment of men and women. Emirati women have come a very long way ever since; they have been enjoying all their rights, most notably the right to education and to work, and have become a model to emulate for women across the globe.
The General Women’s Union was established on August 27, 1975, to serve as a national mechanism for advancing and empowering Emirati women. We must applaud here the generous initiatives and tremendous efforts of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union; President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood; and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, who has been playing the greatest role in empowering women at the political and economic levels. Thanks to her efforts, Emirati women have held ministerial positions, assumed presidency of the UAE National Federal Council, and become board members in major public joint-stock companies and an active partner in the march toward development.
The laws and regulations governing the country’s financial markets obliged all parties to make sure that women are represented on corporate boards. The UAE Gender Balance Council, with which SCA is working in close cooperation, played a significant role in creating a level playing field for women on all social, cultural, and economic levels, especially at the workplace; in ensuring an equitable, non-discriminatory treatment of men and women; and in providing women equal opportunities to education, leading positions, and financial independence.
