Public Policy Document
Introduction
Launched in 2023, the National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023 -2031 aims to facilitate equitable and comprehensive participation of women in all sectors and enhance the quality of life in the society. It seeks to establish a framework with references and guidance, for decision-makers in the federal and local government entities, the private sector and the civil society to promote the efforts of women's empowerment and leadership in the UAE.
Policy Objectives
- Provide a general framework, reference, and guidance for decision-makers to ensure advancing women's empowerment efforts in the UAE.
- Ensure women’s equitable and comprehensive participation in all sectors, to further enhance community members’ quality of life.
Priorities & Key Components
- Build strong, cohesive, and supportive families to advance women’s role in society.
- Develop programs to enhance family cohesion and support women’s role in the family.
- Ensure the availability of and accessibility to women's support networks in the community to address life challenges and requirements effectively.
- Provide reliable, secure, and user-friendly services that respond to the essential needs of women and their families, while respecting their privacy.
- Support parents of People of Determination by designing educational curricula and experiences that are adequate to their roles and responsibilities.
- Promote women's mental well-being amidst social variants, facilitate access to psychological assistance, counseling, and rehabilitation services.
- Ensure the continuity, development and provision of preventive and therapeutic health programs tailored to women’s needs.
- Establish public and private sports facilities that align with women's sporting interests, whilst respecting their needs and privacy.
- Establish new specialized centers to assist abused women and children, and expand the range of services offered by the existing centers.
- Integrate women into the workforce and future sectors in a balanced manner taking in consideration their personal lives and work responsibilities.
- Develop and implement systems, standards and practices that define an optimal work environment for women
- Empower women to set up innovative projects and businesses within emerging sectors, ensuring the sustainability of their initiatives, and addressing the challenges they may encounter.
- Foster a culture that believes in women's capabilities, and enables them to play their political and economic roles.
- Develop women’s capabilities and enhance their future skills.
- Develop entrepreneurship skills for girls, housewives, and female workers.
- Provide continuing education, future skills, and vocational and technical training to women.
- Encourage and support the development of qualifications and academic programs for trade and digital technologies targeting women.
- Develop and provide programs on various life skills supporting women and enhancing their quality of life.
- Develop a supportive and enabling legislative and regulatory environment to enhance women’s quality of life.
- Design new laws and legislation, and update existing ones, to anticipate potential scenarios related to discrimination against women.
- Ensure the enforcement of dedicated laws and regulations safeguarding women from violence, assault, and discrimination in the workplace and the household.
- Develop further federal and local legislation to support women's access to social benefits.
- Promote institutional work and partnerships at both national and international levels.
- Ensure the availability of national gender-disaggregated data and share it with relevant authorities to support decision-making.
- Support the establishment of an integrated statistical framework for women and conduct studies for knowledge-based public policies and programs.
- Strengthen relationships and partnerships with regional organizations focused on women's empowerment and gender balance.
- Ensure the adoption of a participatory approach when collaborating with the private sector and civil society to advance the implementation of the UAE’s women-supportive agenda.
- Foster the integration of roles within public sector entities charged with women's affairs and their governance.
Expected Outcomes
- Increase women's participation in decision-making roles within the family by at least 30%.
- Increase the number of women with access to social support networks in the UAE by at least 20%.
- Increase the number of services addressing essential life requirements catering to women and families in the country by at least 20%.
- Increase the number of curricula and educational experiences especially designed for parents of People of Determination in the UAE by at least 20%.
- Increase the number of available mental health services targeting women in the UAE by at least 20%.
- Increase the percentage of women receiving appropriate preventive health screenings and services by at least 25%.
- Expand the number of public and private sports facilities designed for women's sports by a minimum of 20%.
- Expand the range of services provided by current centers for the protection of abused women and children by at least 25%.
- Increase women's participation in the labor market to be at least 25% higher relative to their share of the population.
- Increase the number of programs and initiatives aimed at improving women's representation in traditionally male-dominated occupations in the UAE by at least 20%.
- Increase the number of government-supported programs promoting female entrepreneurship and innovation in the UAE by at least 20%.
- Boost women's representation in media and advertising in the country by at least 20%.
- Expand the number of entrepreneurial training programs and workshops for girls, housewives, and female workers in the country by at least 20%.
- Expand the availability of vocational and technical training programs for women by a minimum of 20%.
- Implement clear and robust legal frameworks to effectively combat all forms of discrimination against women in the country, with at least a 20% improvement.
Target Audience
Girls, women, and female People of Determination.