Women power

The UAE is proud to be blessed with women who are working tirelessly towards the development of the country

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), is responsible for establishing the country's first women's society, the Abu Dhabi Women's Development Association in 1973, followed by GWU in 1975, Family Development Foundation in 2006 and Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood in 2003.
This year, she launched the 'UAE Inculcation' initiative, organised by the Ministry of Education at the Fatima bint Mubarak School in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative, a modern educational project, aims to promote progress and provide a productive and sustainable school environment and maintain a smart environment. The project is also part of the Year of Giving initiative, and it embodies the modern concept of moral education, with the aim of forming bonds of friendship between students.
The initiative targets public schools with sufficient space and will include areas dedicated to water culture, marine environment, gardening and indigenous UAE plants.
The Mother of the Nation also collaborated with the UN High Commission for Refugees and helped establish the Arab Women Organisation to serve immigrant Arab women who need assistance.
Sheikha Fatima was awarded with the Palm Fronds Knight of the Order of Academic Palms on April 13, 2004, one of the most prestigious French accolades, first established by Napoleon, to honour those who offer their sincere services and outstanding achievements in various fields of education, culture, education and research.
In October 2010, the Food and Agriculture Organization, part of the United Nations, named Sheikha Fatima as an Extraordinary Goodwill Ambassador, in recognition of her efforts and her continuous support for women's causes, at both regional and international levels, and of her decisive role in the areas of women's education, the eradication of illiteracy, the promotion of women's rights, in the Arab region and elsewhere in the world, and for establishing the first-ever women's organisation in the UAE.
She was named 'Woman Leadership Personality of the Year in the Arab World' for 2014 by Forbes Middle East magazine, in recognition of her cultural and leadership role in promoting the status of women, and supporting women's presence in the community, locally, regionally and internationally.
In 2017, The UN Women - the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - and the Global Partnerships Forum (GPF) presented the Agent of Change Award to Sheikha Fatima in recognition of her contributions and achievements in areas of women's empowerment and gender equality in the UAE and beyond.
Over the years, she has bagged more than 500 awards for her dedicated work, 30 of which were presented by the UN.
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi
The first woman to hold a ministerial position in the UAE Cabinet, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi held the title of the most powerful woman in the Middle East in 2015 and in 2017, the most powerful Arab woman in government and doesn't intend to slow down.
She was the UAE's Minister for Tolerance and one of the region's most prominent female leaders.
She is a royal with a passion for women's rights aiming to put the UAE at the forefront on this matter.
Sheikha Lubna believes that she can use her position to enforce the idea that gender equality in educational opportunities is vital in achieving economic empowerment for women. "Equality is an integral part of the national agenda," she maintains.
Reem Al Hashimi
Reem Al Hashimi is not only director general for Expo 2020 Dubai, she also holds the position of UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation. She became a cabinet minister in 2008.
Chairperson of the federal competitiveness and statistics authority, she contributes to the authority's mission to strengthen and enhancing the UAE's national data and competitiveness capacities. She also serves as a chairperson for Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation that aims to improve access to primary education in developing countries.
Ohood Al Roumi
Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi is the Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing and the Director General of the Prime Minister's Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future in the UAE government.
Since being appointed Minister of Happiness in 2016, Al Roumi Ohood has launched numerous initiatives around the UAE, including a 100-Day Happiness Plan, and positivity training for local businesses; her initiatives are based on the "science of happiness".
Nayla Al Khaja
Nayla Al Khaja is the first female film director/producer in the UAE. CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films - previously D-Seven Motion Pictures - she is also founder of 'The Scene', Dubai's first film club. Over the years, her dedication to develop the UAE's film industry, and her advocacy for women in cinema, helped her reputation.
Nayla wrote and directed several films, all presented and awarded in many international film festivals. She works closely with the Dubai Film and TV Commission to promote Dubai as the fastest growing filming hub in the region.
Actively supporting and mentoring local talents, she is today a reference in the Middle East when it comes to cinema promotion and women empowerment.
Nada Al Bedwawi
Nada Al Bedwawi, the 19-year-old Emirati swimmer, made history when she became not only the youngest female to carry the UAE flag in the 2016 Rio Olympics opening ceremony, but also the first female to represent the country in swimming. A student at New York University Abu Dhabi, Al Bedwawi was nervous before entering the pool, yet she showed great composure to smash her previous personal best, finishing her 50m freestyle in 33.42 seconds to rank 78th from a field of 88 starters.

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