The term “gender balance” outlines equitable representation and involvement of all genders. Moreover, it ensures that men, women, and non-binary people have equal opportunity in work, leadership, and decision-making roles. Additionally, the advantage of gender balance to foster more inclusive and diverse environments in every sector of society is what makes it crucial.
The gender balance index in UAE determines the representation of all genders in different sectors. Moreover, the country wants to reduce the gender disparities and create a balanced environment for all genders of the society. In addition, the gender balance index in UAE monitors the areas for improvement and supports the country to be more inclusive and diverse. Therefore, by encouraging gender balance in UAE not only improves social equality but also strengthens its economic and global competitiveness.
The country has made various progress and emerged as a regional leader in gender balance in UAE, because of several key initiatives and achievements. Meanwhile, the UAE ranks highly among Arab countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. Additionally, the UAE Gender Balance Council, which was established in 2015, is essential to the growth of gender equality initiatives. Hence, the objective is to put the country in the top 25 countries in the world for gender balance index in UAE. Also, the country has implemented the ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ law in 2018. Furthermore, the country is encouraging women’s participation in the workforce to increase the gender balance index in UAE. Through this women make up around 46.6% of the labor force.
The government has established several key initiatives to advance the gender balance index in UAE. Notable efforts include :
The UAE Gender Balance Council was set up in 2015, a government body created to reduce the gender gap in leadership and decision-making roles. Furthermore, the objective was to empower women’s participation in all sectors of the society.
The next initiative for gender balance in UAE was National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women for 2015- 2021. Moreover, the strategy’s four major pillars – economic, social, political, and leadership empowerment. Hence, they were made to boost the overall well-being of women in the UAE.
The Gender Balance Guide was launched in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In addition, the Gender Balance Guide mandates practical tools and standards for UAE public and private entities.
Consequently, these government initiatives on gender balance index in UAE have had a significant and wide-reaching impact across various sectors. Therefore, they are mentioned below :
Here, gender balance index in UAE in the workplace refers to the equitable participation of all genders in an organization. Moreover, it manages that men, women, and non-binary individuals have equal participation in every sector. Hence, achieving gender balance in UAE is mandatory for fostering diversity. Consequently, this encourages creativity, innovation and improved performance. Furthermore, they also increase employee satisfaction and retention. In addition, this balance improves an organization’s reputation and overall performance in a competitive international marketplace.
Despite the country’s significant progress toward gender balance in UAE, still there are challenges that need to be solved. Therefore, we have mentioned all the challenges that are crucial for the country’s development on gender balance in UAE :
Traditional methods and societal barriers still affect the career opportunities for women. Moreover, family responsibilities can hinder women’s advancement in various sectors, especially in senior management and executive roles. In addition, women remain underrepresented in areas such as in (STEM) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Even though the ‘Equal Pay for Equal Work’ law has achieved progress, wage gaps remain in some sectors of the economy. Moreover, these disparities are frequently caused by biases in wage negotiations and promotion procedures. However, there are still lingering biases and stereotypes that suggest men are better suited for leadership roles, especially in areas traditionally dominated by men.
The country has outlined several future plans and strategies to meet greater gender equality. Moreover, these efforts plan to create a more inclusive and balanced society. Additionally, labor law reforms are expected in the future, with a focus on equal pay, maternity leave, and workplace protections for women. As a result, it will help to guarantee the protection of women’s rights and achieve the goal of gender balance index in UAE throughout all industries. Furthermore, the UAE has set targets and quotas to boost the number of women in leadership positions in the public and private sectors. In addition, the country intends to improve work-life policy, like expanding parental leave, offering more reasonably priced childcare options, and supporting flexible work schedules.
In summary, the gender balance index in UAE shows the country’s continued commitment to promoting inclusion in every area of life. Meanwhile, the country has reached great progress in boosting the representation and involvement of women in diverse roles. With great initiatives, the country became a leader in the gender balance in UAE. But concerns like stereotypes, industry-specific disparities, and conventional barriers still exist. Hence, considering the future, the UAE’s objectives include labor legislation reforms and targeted strategies. Therefore, by maintaining this momentum, the UAE aims to create a more equitable and balanced society in the world.