UAE Participates In G20 Empowerment Of Women Working Group To Promote Gender Equality And Climate Justice

The United Arab Emirates, through its Gender Balance Council, took part in the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group meeting in Brasília. This gathering focused on women's equality, autonomy, and climate justice. It united G20 nations and invited countries to share experiences and collaborate on gender inequality and women's empowerment.

Hanan Ahli, a board member of the UAE Gender Balance Council, and Mouza Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the council, attended the meeting. The UAE's involvement is part of its role as a guest country at the G20 meetings for the third year. Brazil extended this year's invitation to the UAE.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highlighted the UAE's progress in women's leadership and economic empowerment. She emphasised their role in sustainability and climate action. "The country has also integrated the fight against extremism, hate speech, discrimination, and gender-based violence into its national laws," she stated.

Sheikha Manal praised Brazil for keeping women's empowerment central to the G20 agenda. She expressed pride in the UAE's contributions to global discussions on this topic. She noted that these meetings are crucial for enhancing global cooperation in advancing women's empowerment and leadership.

Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said that advancing gender equality is a priority for the UAE. "As part of our commitment to advancing gender equality, the UAE is eager to collaborate with countries and institutions across the world to drive meaningful global progress," she remarked.

The discussions at the G20 Working Group centred on promoting women’s equality by addressing labour division issues that limit economic opportunities for women. They also explored redistributing unpaid care work burdens that disproportionately affect women worldwide.

Addressing Violence and Climate Leadership

The group also discussed strategies to combat misogyny and violence against women from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. They stressed increasing female representation in climate leadership roles since women lead grassroots climate actions but are underrepresented globally.

Hanan Ahli reiterated the UAE’s dedication to enhancing women's economic empowerment and combating discrimination. She highlighted initiatives like Expo 2020 Dubai's Women’s Pavilion as significant milestones in empowering women globally.

Education as a Foundation

Ahli pointed out that true equality begins with education in the UAE. Women make up 70% of university graduates and 57% in STEM fields. This investment fosters innovation and economic growth. Women hold 46% of workforce positions and 34% of leadership roles, enriching decision-making processes.

The UAE Gender Balance Council continues efforts to eliminate barriers through progressive legislation like Equal Pay Law and policies mandating women's representation on corporate boards. Initiatives like Gender Balance Index ensure transparency while aiming for 30% female leadership roles by 2025.

International Collaboration

Mouza Al Suwaidi highlighted international collaboration's importance in advancing gender equality globally. "Our participation in the G20 working group meetings reflects the UAE’s commitment to supporting global efforts to empower women," she affirmed.

The UAE participated actively in this year's G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group meetings since August. Leading up to October 11th's ministerial meeting, they attended two working group meetings earlier that month.

A side event titled "Gender Mainstreaming and Women's Empowerment in the G20" was also attended by the UAE delegation. Discussions focused on integrating gender perspectives into all G20 policies and initiatives during this event.

With inputs from WAM