UAE Strengthens Global Commitment to Gender Equality Through Partnership with UN Women

• Globally, the UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment
• A strategic partnership with UN Women was signed in March 2024
• The agreement includes a US$15 million investment spread over 3.5 years

Through a strategic partnership with UN Women, the UAE is enhancing its position as a global leader in women's empowerment and gender equality. The agreement was introduced in March 2024 and includes a US$15 million investment spread over 3.5 years to improve women's status globally and support the work of the UN Women Liaison Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The UAE has long been a leader in gender equality, which this partnership builds upon. The nation currently leads the Arab world in closing the gender gap and is at the top of the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index.

Building on the UAE's ongoing gender reforms, the Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF) seeks to integrate women-focused priorities into international foreign policy agendas. Additionally, it will provide high-level advisory support to advance the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which focuses on women's role in security and peacebuilding, and to encourage women's participation in diplomacy.

The partnership also strengthens women's leadership in climate action and aims to empower women economically, especially in Africa and Latin America. It will assist the UN Women Liaison Office in promoting gender equality efforts in the Gulf.

The General Women's Union Secretary General, Noura Al Suwaidi, commended H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak's vision and said the partnership would further solidify the UAE's continued leadership in women's empowerment. "We are working to increase women's presence in peacekeeping and security fields, expand women's economic roles, and integrate women's issues into foreign policy through our partnership with UN Women," she stated.

The SPF highlights the necessity of long-term financing and resolute pledges to remove ingrained obstacles to gender equality. It aims to guarantee that gender viewpoints are incorporated into international policy concerning topics like disaster risk reduction, peacebuilding, economic empowerment, and climate resilience.

The GCC's UN Women Liaison Office Director, Dr. Mouza Al Shehhi, praised the UAE's continued assistance. "This partnership demonstrates the UAE's role as a global leader in meaningful change and represents a significant step in advancing global gender equality," she said.

In the United Nations Development Programme's 2024 Gender Equality Index, the United Arab Emirates rose from 49th place in 2015 to seventh place globally and first in the region, demonstrating its increasing international recognition. By supporting inclusive leadership, peacebuilding, and a women-centered foreign policy model, the partnership seeks to maintain this trajectory.