ON THE FRONT LINE
Why we must celebrate Emirati women every day this year.
By Manar Al Hinai
Illustration by Sumayyah Al Suwaidi
Unable to travel due to the Covid-19 crisis, I time-travelled instead amongst old family albums. Flipping through snapshots of my great aunts and grandmothers in their youth, I could see not only them but also the vast development that took place in the region over the past century and how rapidly our lifestyles and options have changed.
Fifty years ago, my great aunts and my grandmothers had limited options when it came to careers. My maternal grandmother had one career option: teacher. Today, young women can teach, of course, but they can also become astronauts or aerospace engineers.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day this month, and our nation’s 50th anniversary this year, I am proud of the progress the UAE has made and how it competes with leading nations across various sectors. But I am especially proud of the noteworthy progress made toward women’s empowerment.
Today, more Emirati women than men are enrolled in secondary education. Emirati women comprise 70% of all university graduates in the UAE. They are also ahead in sciences: 56% of UAE graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), are women.
In business, Emirati women are leading the way, not just in the UAE, but also in the region. The UAE had the highest number of women—23—on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen in 2020. Female entrepreneurs account for 10% of our country’s private sector.
Our women hold significant roles on the global stage. HE Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Managing Director of Expo 2020, and her team have been working relentlessly for over six years to bring together the World’s Fair later this year. HE Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi is currently President of the International Publishers Association, the first Arab to hold this role since the organisation was founded in 1896.
When the Covid-19 crisis hit us, our Emirati women—doctors, volunteers, officers, and researchers—were on the front line next to our fellow men, combating the spread of the virus, and making sure no one was left behind. Her Highness Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum’s “10 Million Meals” campaign secured donations to feed Covid-hit communities in the UAE. Our women are helping shape our policies, our economy, and society. The UAE ranked first in the female parliamentary representation index of the IMD Competitiveness Yearbook 2020, with women making up 50% of parliament members.
Emirati women are a testimony that even amidst life-threatening challenges, they are on the front lines, helping, thriving, raising families, and succeeding. This is why we should celebrate them, not just on March 8, International Women’s Day, but every day this year.
They say that “Behind every great man is a great woman.” I say that “Behind every Emirati woman is an entire nation.”
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and entrepreneur
