Workplaces to strive for gender balance

Dubai - Organisations which implement the guide and support the efforts in enhancing gender balance in the country will be granted the 'UAE Gender Balance Seal'.

The UAE Gender Balance Council will launch a guide that ensures the private and public sectors offers equal opportunities to men and women, it was announced on Day 1 of the World Government Summit (WGS) on Sunday.
The guide, set to be released end-March in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), will provide practical advice on how to achieve gender equality in UAE organisations, in line with the country's vision 2021.
Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said implementation of the guide will take place as part of the Gender Inequality Index that the council has recently been instructed to support, with the goal of ensuring that institutions achieve gender balance targets.
Organisations which implement the guide and support the efforts in enhancing gender balance in the country will be granted the 'UAE Gender Balance Seal'. "The most important thing is what comes after the guide, which is implementing the strategies for the UAE becoming the top 25 nations worldwide in the field of women empowerment," said Al Marri.
Once released, Al Marri said the guide will be introduced to all entities. Currently, women make up 66 per cent of the public sector workers, 30 per cent in leadership roles. Mari Kiviniemi, Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, highlighted the importance of implementing policies to ensure gender equality. "Without policies, inclusiveness cannot be achieved. This will enable men and women to shape their future as they will see their rights reflected in government policies."
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai