Abu
Dhabi: Emirati women have established themselves as a central part of the
country’s workforce in just 30 years, whereas women in Europe spent up to three
centuries striving to fight for their rights, a forum held at the General
Women's Union heard.
Today,
over 100,000 Emirati women make up UAE’s workforce and the country’s profits
are expected to increase by 12 per cent if the UAE sees even greater
participation from them, Fatima Al Shamsi, deputy vice chancellor for
administration at Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD), said.
“However,
while there are several women working for UAE’s diverse sectors, one can only
hope to see an even stronger participation. Fifty per cent of UAE’s residents
are women but only 25 to 32 per cent of them work.”
“Some
of the reasons behind that could potentially be struggling to find a balance
between work and family or even inequality in the workplace between different
nationalities, particularly when it comes to promotions and salaries.”
Sometimes
managers fail to comprehend that women may often have sudden family
emergencies, which can be another contributing factor, she added.
Speaking
on the sidelines of the forum to Gulf
News, Major Amnah Al Beloushi, Chairperson of the Emirates Women
Police Association, said: “I strongly believe that Emirati women were able to
alter the global perception that fields such as the police or military are only
for men. To me and to many, both men and women stand on an equal footing and
can both achieve the same results.”
Another
panellist, Latifa Mohammad Al Zaidi, a pilot in UAE’s armed forces, said:
“Several Emirati women wonder how they could serve the UAE even though they
don’t work in the military field.”
Instilling
an appetite for shielding the country from any potential threats that may
undermine its security and a passion for giving back to the nation is
definitely an aspect that Emirati women can enforce as they continue to raise
their children, she added.
The
final panellist, Asma Al Mulla, who works for the National Service Authority,
said that around 30 per cent of Emirati women serve the military and police
sectors, which is testament to their capabilities.
Reem
Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and
Childhood, also gave a speech on behalf of Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint
Mubarak, Chairwoman of General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family
Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and
Childhood, about Emirati women’s paramount contributions to society. –End-
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by: http://gulfnews.com/
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