Dubai: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced that the UAE Gender Balance Council has been selected as a knowledge partner of the forum to promote gender balance internationally. The announcement recognizes the country’s influential role in promoting gender balance in the Arab world.
The UAE Council is participating in the 52nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, being held in Davos, Switzerland, as part of the official UAE delegation.
Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, affirmed the council’s enthusiasm to forge influential partnerships that can help advance gender balance globally.
According to Ms. Al Maktoum, the council’s initiatives reflect the UAE’s commitment to supporting global efforts to empower women at all levels and accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals, as part of achieving the vision of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Prof. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, expressed his appreciation for the pioneering role played by the UAE by remarking that “the United Arab Emirates is leading the region in women’s empowerment, and it has once again achieved the highest level of gender parity in the Arab world according to the Forum’s Gender Gap Report 2022.”
“The UAE’ Gender Balance Council is a formidable knowledge partner whose inclusion in the work of our Centre for New Economy and Society will help to bolster the global movement to put gender parity at the centre of an equitable economic recovery,” the Executive Chairman further added.
According to Ms. Mona Al Marri, the council’s new strategic cooperation with the WEF will create new opportunities for international cooperation to achieve the council’s goals. Ms. Al Marri reiterated the Council’s commitment to continue working, in cooperation with the international community, to explore new approaches for raising women’s access to opportunities and their participation in the development process.
The recognition comes as a result of the UAE Gender Balance Council’s significant achievements, guided by the UAE leadership’s vision to build an environment that empowers and enables women to succeed in their chosen fields as well as contribute to national development as equal partners.