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By Sangeetha Swaroop
 “Nothing could delight me more than to see the
woman taking up her distinctive position in
society… Nothing should hinder her progress… Like
men, women deserve the right to occupy high
positions according to their capabilities and
qualifications.”
– Late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan.
The UAE women, today, live
in a much different time than at the time of the
union of the seven separate emirates on December
2, 1971. It is thanks to the far-sighted vision of
the nation’s enlightened leaders that over the
last 35 years, the role of women in the UAE too
has expanded in line with the country’s
development. Since its foundation, the UAE has
underlined the woman’s role and rights. In fact,
the human development process has covered on an
equal basis the rights of men and women in the
fields of education, health, social services and
work.
However, even prior to this, and indeed,
throughout the history of the region, UAE women
have always been a vital part of their society. In
the days when pearling and fishing were the chief
occupations, it was seen that women were
responsible for the agricultural livelihood of the
family, as well as for raising children. While
these duties could be said to be similar to those
of women in other nations, what is remarkably
different is the environment in which the women
here had to perform these tasks. The harsh
landscape of the desert offered no easy way out,
and hence, the women of this region earned a great
deal of respect for their ability to work the
land.
While ambition and the will to work hard were
strongly prevalent, what hindered the progress of
women until recently was the absence of a proper,
formal education. At the time of the nation’s
birth there were perhaps just a handful of
educated women and the country too, was just at
the threshold of embarking on a hitherto unseen
and unrivalled ambitious development plan. Today,
this so-called desert land is teeming with
towering skyscrapers, has attracted citizens from
across the globe, is the hub of the Middle East
trade and commerce, and boasts the most modern
schools, hospitals, banking institutions and other
service industries.
What makes these achievements more remarkable is
that along with its rapid development has come
about the evolvement of its women too, no doubt,
fostered by the principle of universal education.
Today, females in state schools outnumber men. In
addition 65 per cent UAE university graduates
being women are considered an educated pool of
talent to meet the growth targets of the UAE
economy.
Even UN statistics indicate that the UAE is among
the most developed nations in educating females.
From a conservative tradition where hardship was
the norm, through education, under a benign
government whose priority has always been women’s
issues, women in the UAE have literally blossomed,
achieving the highest rate of development in the
Arab countries. Little wonder that these
formidable and meritworthy achievements caused the
late President to remark thus, “The achievements
of women in the United Arab Emirates in such a
short time has made me happy and convinced me that
what we planted yesterday will today start to bear
fruit.”
Good education has enabled women to take up a wide
range of careers and positions with private and
public sector firms and the UAE has actively
promoted the presence of women in the workplace.
Women comprised 15 percent of the labour force in
2000. In the same year, 100 per cent of nursery
school teachers, 74 per cent of primary school
teachers, and 54 per cent of secondary school
teachers are women. Overall, 39.8 percent of
government workers are female, with 30 per cent of
them holding management positions and 70 per cent
working as teachers, doctors, pharmacists and
others.
In recent years, the government has also
encouraged women to become police officers and
volunteers in the military. Indeed, UAE women have
advanced to such a degree that they are now ready
to play a direct role in the decision-making
process of the country.
It was a matter of national pride therefore when,
on November 1, 2004, the UAE appointed a woman in
a ministerial position for the first time in its
history as the late Sheikh Zayed passed a federal
decree appointing Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi as
minister of economy and trade.
Clearly, women have firmly entrenched their names
in the progress of the country’s development, but
it must also be admitted that much of the gains
women have achieved is due, in large part, to the
pioneering efforts of the First Lady in the UAE,
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, towards the
development and empowerment of women. Encouraged
by her husband Sheikh Zayed, she played a major
role in the setting up of the UAE’s Women’s
Federation in 1975, the initial goals of which
focused on promoting education and eradicating
illiteracy.
Once these primary needs were met adequately,
Sheikha Fatima began to aggressively campaign for
the women of the UAE to work in the media and
become members of the country's parliamentary
assembly, the Federal National Council. This
campaign was also supported by Sheikh Zayed who
has often said that a woman is an equal partner
with her male compatriot in all walks of life and
has the full fight to participate in political
life and decision-making.
UAE women today live in a golden age in which they
have reached the highest positions. And, according
to Sheikha Fatima, society as a whole will benefit
enormously if the UAE enters the 21st century
empowered by the participation of women in all
walks of life, particularly the political arena.
This, she considers, is a natural development,
women having excelled in all other fields. It was
only a matter of time before Sheikha Fatima’s call
for women to enter the FNC was translated into
reality in December 2006 when a woman, Mrs. Amal
Al-Qaisi became the first elected female member of
the Federal National Council (parliament) and the
rulers of the various emirates appointed eight
other women to the FNC as part of their
jurisdiction to nominate 20 appointed members.
Thus, the current FNC includes nine women out of
its 40 members.
The appointment of women to the UAE parliament has
been hailed as a step that would enrich the
country’s democratic process. The women members
now constitute 22.2 percent of the FNC, a figure
that is higher than some countries in Europe. The
women are among the 20 nominated members of the
40-member house. The first ever elections to the
Federal National Council have been remarkable for
the participation of women and for the election of
one woman to the influential advisory body, formed
under the Provisional Constitution of the UAE in
1971 as a permanent component of the country’s
governance structure.
The December elections were unprecedented in more
than one way, for it was the first time that women
were eligible for inclusion in the country’s
consultative council. More than 1,000 women were
among the 6,595 members of the Electoral College;
and all were eligible to stand for election as
well as to vote. The very fact that the Rulers
appointed eight women as members reflects the
seriousness of the UAE Government in bringing
women to the fore in active participation in
society.
In a commentary published in the Gulf News soon
after this historic event, Prof. Mohammad Abdullah
Al Mutawa who teaches sociology at the UAE
University at Al Ain wrote that women have made
their “political presence through media and
meetings with electoral commissions” and that
“such awareness and activity indicate that the UAE
woman has exceeded her role from an observer to a
real player in the local area”.
Amal Al-Qaisi, the first elected female member
also remarked that “this is an honour I will carry
all my life. It is proof that the Emirati people
are politically aware.”
The Federal National Council in its 14th
Legislative chapter does not differ in its
constitutional essence from the national councils
throughout the past 35 years. The new council has
a new chairman, an extensive female presence and
half of its members were elected in a free, though
limited, election.
The existence of the female element is a gain for
the UAE women's movement and another step towards
empowerment, putting women at the heart of
national service, and closer to the political
decision-making centre. Women’s presence also
helps to increase its international profile
abroad.
Throughout its history, the Council has influenced
the Federal Government to draft laws. Original
draft laws from the Cabinet were amended by the
Council to suit the needs of the citizens which
they represent. The FNC is also seen as a forum
where members are able to question ministers.
Cabinet members are often grilled over issues of
concern by members during debates. The history of
the Council also shows that the majority of its
recommendations and amendments have been adopted
and included in laws by the government.
The mix of appointed and elected FNC members not
only promotes democratic openness but also adds a
touch of political modernity. Almost 75 per cent
of its members were born just after the Federation
was formed which reveals the extent of trust in
the young generation. This generation has proved
its ability to lead and take over responsibility
from the generation of the founding fathers in
administrative, development and leadership roles,
leading the UAE towards internationalism.
On the opening day of the Federal National Council
(FNC), while women members conveyed their
determination to play an active role on the
council, Najla Al Awadi, a FNC member, remarked to
the Emirates Today newspaper: “I feel that we have
entered a new stage in the history of the UAE.
“If we look at the United Sates and Europe, women
had to struggle for more than 100 years to get the
right to vote. Here in the UAE, within 35 years
women got the right not only to vote, but also to
be members of the council. This is a great
achievement. We are optimistic of more positive
changes in the future.” She reiterated the
determination of the women members to be active
legislators, “We will work as hard as the men, or
even harder, to prove that there is no difference
between the capabilities of men and women.”
Meanwhile, Fatima Ghanem Al Marri, another female
FNC member, had this to say: “It is a great
experience and a great responsibility. We face a
challenge to prove to our President and the people
that we are capable of meeting their
expectations.” Al Marri added that being part of
the FNC is like a dream come true. “This is a
dream that the late President His Highness Sheikh
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan implanted in us, the
women of the UAE. He helped us to dream big and
showed us the way to achieve our dreams.
“He gave women great opportunities and looked
after our welfare. He also taught us to seek
positions of leadership. And now, we have achieved
his dream.”
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