Dubai (Etihad)
The United Nations Women, in cooperation with the General Women’s Union, hosted a high-level summit on the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, on achieving gender equality for all women and girls, which was organized at Expo 2020 Dubai, coinciding with International Day for women.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence in the UAE, delivered a speech by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation “Mother of the Nation”, at the opening of the activities of the Fifth Goal Summit United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak welcomed the distinguished speakers, appreciating their rich participation, which carries noble goals to provide the basic needs of safety, dignity and equality for all human beings, calling on all to continue working together for a sustainable future based on knowledge, culture, science and advanced technology.
Her Highness expressed her happiness at the convening of this important summit at the heart of Expo 2020, to celebrate International Women’s Day, and to discuss and develop a strategy for the private sector for women’s economic empowerment, noting that economic empowerment is a vital part of the fifth goal of the United Nations sustainable development goals, which seeks to achieve equality. Gender and Empowerment of Women and Girls. Achieving this goal will constitute a strong nucleus for addressing the remaining 16 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, which will require dedication and effort from all local and global leaders.
Her Highness affirmed that the founding leader, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, showed his wisdom and high determination in adopting priorities. Without discrimination between men and women, to represent the basic incubator in providing the legislative, economic, social and cultural environment that supports the achievements and creativity of Emirati women, in order to ensure the full and effective participation of women in the process of sustainable development in the Emirates, and equal leadership opportunities at all levels, all of which are in line with the main objectives for the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Highness added: “After the departure of the founding leader who fulfilled what he promised, God gave the UAE and its people a wise leadership, headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him”, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and President of the Council of State. The ministers and ruler of Dubai, may God preserve him, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and their brothers, Their Highnesses, rulers of the Emirates, who ably lead the march in all fields internally and externally, so that the UAE continues to lay out the features and pillars of its distinguished model, which Unlock the potential of Emirati women, enhance their support, and open up broad horizons for them, to be an active contributor to the process of development and nation building.”
Her Highness concluded: “We hope that community leaders will continue to work together to affirm these basic and lofty goals, to remove social and economic barriers in the path of women, in order to ensure the strengthening of their vital role as a fundamental pillar in development and growth for a more prosperous and advanced future in the world.”
high level representation
The summit witnessed high-level representation from the UAE, and representatives from the government and private sectors in the region, whose sessions were opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Lulwa Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and General Supervisor of Effat University, and Her Excellency Anita Bhatia, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.
Among the senior officials who participated in the summit were Dr. Dina Assaf, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in the UAE, Reem bin Karam, Director of the Nama Foundation for the Advancement of Women, Andrea Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to the UAE, and Dr. Nawal Al Hosani, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the State Agency for Energy renewable.
Sessions and Shows
The summit focused on the role of the private sector in overcoming barriers and promoting opportunities for women’s economic empowerment. It included high-level panel discussions and presentations on facilitating access to finance and women’s entrepreneurship, and enhancing women’s representation and leadership in the private sector. Middle East, PwC and Zayed University.
CEOs and senior executives from various sectors presented key ways and actions to accelerate progress in enhancing the role of women in workplaces and economies through cultural transformation, leadership, access to finance, and support for entrepreneurship.
Government and private sector representatives from various industrial sectors also participated in a session on investment from a gender perspective in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a focus on financing available to women-owned small and medium enterprises.
closing wage gaps
“Closing wage gaps in emerging markets will boost per capita incomes by 20% or more by 2030,” said Anita Bhatia, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women. They constitute only 40.8% of the formal global labor market, which means that their economic and productive potential is untapped.
She added: “At UN Women, we are aware of the importance of women’s economic empowerment as a settled issue, and that we must move forward to advance it. Bias against women in the economy can only be ended through dialogue, cooperation and partnerships, so we commend the stakeholders in the public and private sectors who joined us in our event organized at Expo 2020 Dubai and commend their perceptions of advancing the fifth sustainable development goal, and their investments In terms of advancing gender equality.
Continuity of achievements
Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, said that the continuous global successes achieved by the UAE in the field of gender balance in various sectors and at all levels reflect the priority of this file within the national agenda, which translates the vision and directives of the wise leadership to enhance the social, economic and political role of women. Including the decision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State “may God protect him”, regarding equal wages for women and men in the private sector, which confirms that gender balance in all sectors of the state is a consistent approach in the leadership’s vision, and a national priority for the government of the state The UAE, out of its keenness to promote the goals of the fifth goal of the sustainable development goals.
She praised the unlimited support and great care provided by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation “Mother of the Emirates”, for women’s work inside and outside the UAE, praising Her Highness’s efforts to enhance the capacity of Emirati women And its needs to deal and adapt to the emerging reality in light of the exceptional circumstances resulting from the repercussions of the emerging corona virus.
heavy presence
The Summit was attended and participated by many members of international organizations, academia, media, civil society and members of women’s organizations, including the signatories of the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and members of the Coalition to Change Stereotypes in Advertising. UN Women partners from around the world also participated in the discussion on Cultural and economic barriers, opportunities, and commitments to making progress in SDG 5.
It is noteworthy that UN Women celebrated International Women’s Day 2022 under the title “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, to highlight that women are effective leaders and change makers in terms of addressing climate adaptation, mitigating its effects and finding solutions. Women should have equal access to education and skills training to lead and contribute to the sustainable economy of the future, and should be involved in the design and implementation of climate response actions to ensure equal benefit-sharing.
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