Winners of UAE Gender Balance Index announced

The UAE Gender Balance Council has announced the winners of the third edition of the Gender Balance Index.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated the winners and commended Emirati women’s valuable contributions to the sustainable development and prosperity of the UAE over the past fifty years.

His Highness emphasised that women’s equal participation was one of the pillars on which the nation was founded, and continues to be a value reinforced through legislative reforms, progressive policy-making, and strong institutions that work to further embed women's central role in shaping the UAE’s future. 

The latest edition of the federal government's Gender Balance Index features winners in four categories: Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance, Best Federal Organisation Supporting Gender Balance, Best Initiative Supporting Gender Balance, and a new category, Best Banking and Financial Sector Institution Supporting Gender Balance.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council said: "Since the establishment of the UAE, women have been supported through pioneering legislations and initiatives that promote gender balance."  

She also highlighted that the gender balance agenda is a national priority, adding that the UAE has achieved significant progress in a short time to ensure both women and men are empowered, given equal opportunities to participate in the nation’s development process.

نثمّن جهود مجلس الإمارات للتوازن بين الجنسين بقيادة الشيخة منال بنت محمد بن راشد في تحقيق أهداف مؤشر التوازن بين الجنسين في الحكومة .. ونشكر كل من يساهم في دعم مشاركة المرأة في كافة قطاعاتنا الاقتصادية والحكومية والوطنية .. pic.twitter.com/ESX8nlVkJC

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 5, 2020

Under the patronage of @hhshkmohd, the #UAEGBC has announced the winners of the 3rd edition of the #GenderBalanceIndex.

— Manal MR AL Maktoum (@MMbinRashid) October 5, 2020

Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance 

It recognises individuals who have played an instrumental role in their institutions’ gender balance achievements. These individuals have steered initiatives to enhance equality of opportunities for men and women and ensured their institutions contribute to making the country a model for gender balance regionally and globally.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, was named the winner in this category for his tireless efforts in providing women with a positive and supportive work environment in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

Best Federal Organisation Supporting Gender Balance

This category recognises the best federal organisation that supports gender balance. Evaluation is based on national indicators in three focus areas: decision-making, education and experience, and work environment. 

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure was named the winner in this category at the ministerial level while the Federal Demographic Council won the award at the agency/establishment level.

Best Initiative Supporting Gender Balance

It recognises best practices, projects, policies, and legislations that enhance and support gender balance on a national level.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention won the award in this category in recognition of its decision to include cervical cancer vaccinations (HPV) within the National Immunisation Programme. The vaccine is administered in two doses to schoolgirls aged 13 and 14 who are in the 8th grade.  

Cervical cancer is identified as a cause of death for a quarter of a million women around the world and half a million women suffer from the illness annually.

A new category: Best Banking and Financial Sector Institution Supporting Gender Balance

Twelve banking and financial institutions in the UAE were nominated for this award. Standard Chartered Bank was named the winner in this category after the bank achieved the highest ranking in five evaluation criteria: supporting global sustainability indicators in the field of gender balance; realising the institution’s vision by fostering an overall culture of gender balance; employing gender balance to empower human resources; ensuring balance when providing services to customers; and the governance of gender balance enablers.

The CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in the UAE, Rola Abu Minneh, is an Emirati banker with over 25 years of experience in banking and finance, and the first Emirati woman to head a bank in the UAE.

The Council’s efforts

Over the past several years, the UAE Gender Balance Council has launched various initiatives and projects to promote gender balance in the country and move towards greater success and global leadership, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The Council, chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, works with key partners, including government and the private sector, to reduce the gender gap in all sectors.

It has long-standing partnerships with global institutions and global leaders to promote the gender balance agenda and continues to adapt and implement global best practices to ensure the UAE is a model of gender balance in the region and the world.

The Council’s initiatives are aligned with the UAE 2021 Vision, as well as the UAE Centennial 2071.