UAE highlights commitment to women’s advancement at UNGA

New York, 5 October 2023 (TDI): In a recent statement delivered at the United Nations (UN), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) underscored the importance of a comprehensive approach to advancing the rights and empowerment of women & girls.

The UAE commended global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emphasized that women’s progress goes beyond SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

It requires a broader perspective that addresses disparities in various areas such as health, education, and clean energy. In this vein, the UAE outlined three key areas for the empowerment of women and girls.

Firstly, promoting women’s equal participation in the economy is crucial for their full and meaningful integration into society. The UAE stressed its commitment to implementing policies ensuring equal pay for equal work.

Also read: Official Statement of UAE at UN Fifth Committee session

The country has made legislative amendments in this regard and currently ranks 8th globally for gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report.

Furthermore, the UAE has engaged both public and private sectors in initiatives like the ‘SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Women’s Leadership in the UAE Private Sector,’ which has seen increased participation from leading local and multinational companies.

Secondly, the UAE emphasized the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change on women and girls.

Climate change poses a risk of pushing up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050. To address this, the UAE announced its intention to launch a “Gender-Just Transition Partnership” on Gender Equality Day during COP28.

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This partnership will focus on improving financing for women-led climate initiatives and enhancing the availability of gender-disaggregated climate data.

Thirdly, regional initiatives play a significant role in implementing international frameworks for women’s rights and participation.

The UAE highlighted its role in hosting the launch of the Arab Declaration to Combat All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls, adopted by the League of Arab States in March 2022.

Additionally, it supports the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) training initiative in partnership with UN Women.

This program focuses on training female cadets and promoting gender-responsive security sectors in the region to enhance women’s roles as agents of peace.

Lastly, the UAE reiterated its unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls, both domestically and internationally.

The country acknowledged the instrumental role played by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in advancing the empowerment of Emirati women and girls.

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak is the third wife of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan & is referred to as the mother of the UAE and as the mother of the Nation.

Furthermore, it expressed strong support for UN Women, pledging 15 million dollars over the next three years to bolster efforts in this regard.

This statement highlighted the UAE’s dedication to advancing gender equality, recognizing the multifaceted challenges faced by women and girls worldwide, and its commitment to collaborative international efforts to address these issues.