An exclusive panel session will be held in collaboration with UAE General Women’s Union   

Sharjah, 28 November 2017:  Part of the first edition of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Summit (WEEGS 2017)’s two-day discussion agenda will be an exclusive women-only panel session titled ‘Emirati Women: Potential & Possibilities’, which will be held on the second day of the Summit, 5 December from 10:00 – 11:00 am at Expo Centre Sharjah. 

Organised by the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA) in collaboration with the UAE General Women’s Union, this closed session will focus on further strengthening the nation’s enduring efforts to empower local women and enhance their contributions by creating a more enabling economy and society. It will also highlight the role of local and international stakeholders in providing them better accessibility and technical support. 

One of the highlights of WEEGS 2017, the panel will be attended by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of NAMA and Honorary Patron for Global Women’s Inclusion. 

It will be part of 20 panel discussions that will take place over the two days of the event in the presence of a 1,000+ attendees. The Summit’s agenda is to further gender-responsive procurement and women’s full integration in the economy by securing their interests. It is bringing together over 70 high-profile officials and international experts, thought leaders and successful women entrepreneurs, who will share their views that will seek to influence the global decision-making process and shape global policies to advance women in the economy. 

Speakers will address several topics related to women’s participation in the economy, and will shed light on practical ways to make the economy more enabling for women through the provision of licences and other competitive advantages. Entrepreneurial opportunities for women in the fields of artificial intelligence, environment and statistics will be highlighted, and how best to approach new investment opportunities will be discussed.

Reem BinKaram, Director of NAMA, said: “As far as equal opportunities for women are concerned, the UAE is really an example for the world. This is reflected in the fact that we were ranked first by the World Economic Forum in 2014 in the respect for women index.” 

She added: “The international recognition of UAE’s efforts for creating a level playing field for both genders has continued with the country being ranked first in the MENA region by the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report 2016 and among the top 10 countries in the global gender wage equality index, signaling a brighter future the empowerment of women in the country.”

“The ‘Emirati Women: Potential & Possibilities’ will be of great importance in consolidating the achievements of local women, and will focus on identifying our strengths, challenges and growth opportunities,” BinKaram stressed.

The UAE is home to almost 23,000 businesswomen who run projects worth estimated investments of $15 billion (AED 55 billion), while women represent 46.6% of the country’s total work force in the country, demonstrating the UAE’s leadership in women's empowerment regionally. This is a result of the vision of the UAE’s founding father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which has been given a strong boost by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and furthered by the landmark initiatives of ‘The Mother of the Nation’, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (mother), Chairperson of the General women's Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.

WEEGS 2017 will encompass six sector-specific sessions, which will address growth prospects for women in 16 key sectors, notably energy, sustainability, health and marketing, among others. The event themed ‘Women Excelling in the Economy’ will also include two interactive improvised sessions with the participation of a host of prominent local and international entrepreneurs who will share their personal experiences in the world of entrepreneurship and provide tips on how to achieve success, as well as other workshops and sessions.