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Khaleej Times spoke to three women - a public servant, a homemaker and an entrepreneur - all successful in their own right, to understand how crucial equal partnership between men and women is in nation building as well as running a family. All three said having men share responsibilities at home and supporting them in their career pursuits make all the difference in empowering them.
The public servant
Ahlam believes that having a supportive partner is crucial in the journey towards gender balance.
"My parents played equal roles in my life. Today, I am married and have four kids. Without my husband's support in bringing up the kids, I would not have been able to achieve many things in life," said Ahlam, who is married to a businessman. "I did my masters after having kids. There are days when I finish work and go to attend classes. I also have to travel for work. My husband took care of the kids when I was not at home and he believed in me. So, having an understanding and supportive partner is very important when you talk about gender balance and women empowerment."
According to her, her organisation has put forth the right strategies to ensure gender balance in all walks of life. "The UAE was the first GCC country and second Arab country to have a strategy that provides a framework for all government and private organisations to take initiatives to empower women. And today, because of this strategy, we can see that women have been able to achieve a lot in different sectors.
"Emirati women are excelling as businesswomen, ministers, ambassadors, executives ... For women empowerment, you need to have the right legislations."
Ahlam said the General Women's Union has also been working to inculcate similar values within families. "We have been pushing new family laws, having day care centres in offices to support working women, increasing maternity leave and so many other initiatives."
The entrepreneur
Dr Sana is a leading name among female entrepreneurs in the UAE. She feels the era of women falling behind in their careers because of lack of support offered to them is behind them.
"Nowadays, people are leaning more and more on different platforms to empower women in unprecedented ways. Personally, my husband has always encouraged me to push my limits. I believe that such personal backing along with steps being adopted by the government to empower women will deliver results."
She said the UAE leads the region when it comes to gender equality with literacy rate well over 90 per cent among women, and businesses worth billions of dirhams being spearheaded by women. "I am really optimistic that inequality among genders is going to be completely eradicated with the combined efforts of governments across the world."
She believes that gender inequality will "be forgotten as something that used to happen in the past as long as we have governments like that of UAE to eliminate it".
The homemaker
Emirati mother Malak says she and her husband have tried to be equals in their marriage, especially as they are living in a country that has always been respectful of women.
"I have been married for 10 years and we have two daughters. My husband and I have an understanding that neither he nor I come above the other," she said.
Malak, who quit her job as an HR professional to be a full-time mother, said the couple took a joint decision for the husband to be the sole breadwinner.
"My daughter Lamia is into gymnastics and though young, she has been breaking stereotypes due to the nature of the sport she has chosen. We are confident that she will continue her journey to Olympics come what may, and we are able to do this only because my husband and I are on the same page when it comes to her future and what we think is best for our children," said Malak.
Lamia Tariq is a Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Sports Award winner of 2019 and is known as the UAE's 'Golden Girl' for the number of medals she has won locally and internationally.
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