SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact
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S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T247At local level, Abu Dhabi Executive Council plans to establish adedicated body for the development of women’s policy acrossall departments and authorities in the Abu Dhabi government,in order to protect and advance the role of women throughoutsociety – in the workplace, in the family and in the community.The intention is to build on the existing strengths and good workof federal and emirate resources, including the General Women’sUnion and the Abu Dhabi Family Development Foundation.POLITICAL PARTICIPATIONAs already outlined in the Government section, 2007 was a trulyremarkable year in terms of political participation in the <strong>UAE</strong>.Since early 2006, two female ministers have sat at the Cabinettable with responsibility for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and theMinistry of Social Affairs and two others were appointed in 2008.However, it was the inclusion of 1189 women among the 6689people nominated to membership of the electoral colleges in eachof the seven emirates, these being empowered to elect half theseats to the 40-member parliamentary body, the FederalNational Council, the candidacy of 63 women in the subsequentelections, and the swearing-in of nine national women to the FNCthat broke new ground. The nine women hold 22.5 per cent of theseats in parliament, according the <strong>UAE</strong> the distinct honour of beingnot only unique in the region but one of the few countries in theworld with such a high percentage of female parliamentarians.THE GENERAL WOMEN’S UNIONThe General Women’s Union has been a key player in theGovernment’s strategy to create a supportive and empoweringenvironment for women. Originally entitled the <strong>UAE</strong> Women’sFederation, the GWU was established in 1975 under the leadershipof HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak with the aim of bringingtogether under one umbrella all the women’s societies in thecountry. In the intervening years, the government-funded GWUhas brought to the fore many inter-related issues of concern forwomen, children and the family, and it has been instrumental inWith nine womenholding 22.5 per centof the seats inparliament, the <strong>UAE</strong>is not only unique inthe region but alsoone of the fewcountries worldwidewith such a highpercentage of femaleparliamentarians.@www.uaeinteract.com/women