DWE hosts meeting with French executives, Emirati female leaders

Dubai - Meeting held to mark International Women's Day and in line with the 'Year of Tolerance'.

Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) hosted a delegation of French leading women on the occasion of International Women's Day. The event was part of a series of activities held by DWE in line with the 'Year of Tolerance'.
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi; Maryam bin Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi, UAE Minister of State for Future Food Security; Raja Rabia, Consul General of France in Dubai; and Estelle Pugnon, wife of the French Ambassador attended the event.
The meeting, which was aimed at knowledge-exchange between female Emirati leaders and the attending French executives, introduced the UAE government's initiatives to support women's economic participation. DWE's various projects, initiatives and leadership development programs were also highlighted, as well as the opportunities available for the French attendees to establish projects in the UAE, with the aim to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries.
 Mona Al Marri, vice president of the UAE Gender Balance Council, managing director and chairperson of DWE, and Shamsa Saleh, CEO of DWE, welcomed the delegation and held a discussion on the French attendees' careers and experiences in sectors such as cosmetics, food, design, construction, programing and culinary supplies.
The meeting was also attended by Fahima Abdul Razzaq Al Bastaki, head of business development division of Dubai Financial Market; Amna BinHendi, vice chairperson and board member for BinHendi Projects and Enterprises; Sultana Saif, corporate director of development and research at DWE; and Maitha Shuaib, director of corporate communication at DWE. 
 Al Marri said that under the exceptional leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, DWE has successfully launched several initiatives aimed at enhancing the role of Emirati women in shaping the economic and social future of Dubai and the UAE. She added that DWE also adopts and proposes policies that enhance women's socio-economic status in the UAE. 
Currently there are as many as 23,000 businesswomen who have investments estimated at about Dh50 billion residing in the country, emphasising that the UAE market has several Arab and foreign women who operate their own projects and businesses. Al Marri, invited French women to explore these opportunities in the UAE, promising DWE's support in the setup process, in cooperation with relevant government authorities.
Al Marri expressed her gratitude for the French delegation's visit, which coincides with International Women's Day and highlighted that the concept of gender balance is ingrained within Emirati culture and is a priority for the government. The productive exchange between the UAE and France are also in line with the objectives of the 'Year of Tolerance', a value that the wise leadership supports, rooted in the belief in the importance of dialogue and openness to different cultures. - sandhya@khaleejtimes.com