DUBAI (WAM)

The Dubai Women Establishment has announced its prestigious partners for the Establishment’s highly anticipated Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024.

The two-day event is set to take place at the Madinat Jumeirah from 26 – 27 November, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Leading the lineup of partnerships is ADNOC (our Energy for Life Partner); Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) (our Economic Partner); Cartier (our Supporting Partner); Mediclinic (our Health Partner); E& (our Technology Partner) and lastly, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (our Cultural Partner). Additionally, the Forum will be supported by prominent media entities, including Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI); Abu Dhabi Media Network (ADMN); the Arab Radio Network (ARN) and International Media Investments (IMI).

This collective of partners underscores the Forum’s stature as the world’s largest event dedicated to empowering women whilst enhancing and increasing their economic participation across all professional sectors.

Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, emphasised the significance of the Global Women's Forum Dubai 2024 as an essential platform for leaders – from both the public and private sectors, as well as experts, academics, and international organisations – to share insights and establish key partnerships.

She stressed that the Forum underscores the vital contributions of women in various fields, further elevating Dubai and the UAE’s position globally, whilst demonstrating their commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

She said, “Women represent half of the community and are equal partners in advancing progress across multiple areas. With the support of our wise leadership, who value female abilities and recognise the importance of investing in them, they have enhanced their influence and achieved success in education, social, economic, and cultural domains, contributing greatly to long-term development goals. At Dubai Culture, we are dedicated to supporting this Forum, which promotes collaboration to overcome the challenges women face and strengthens their role in building a thriving and prosperous society.”

Oliver Grohmann, Executive Vice President Human Resources, Emirates Group, stated, “We are proud to support the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 as part of our commitment to advancing gender balance in the workplace. The Emirates Group works hard to support gender balance and close the gap through equal compensation and balanced policies, supporting leadership placement opportunities, equitable recruitment, inclusivity initiatives, among several other programmes. The Group also has a Gender Balance Council with year-round activities and programmes, in addition to its commitments to the UAE Gender Balance Council pledge, supporting the NOORA network, becoming a signatory to the UN Global Compact principles, and IATA’s 25x2025. Women have always been key driver of innovation and growth at Emirates, because it’s not just good for business – it contributes to Dubai and the UAE’s sustainable economic development."

Fatema Alnuaimi, Executive Vice President, Downstream Business Management at ADNOC, noted, "The Global Women’s Forum offers a valuable platform for meaningful dialogue to celebrate women’s achievements. ADNOC is proud to support this initiative. As a responsible global energy provider, ADNOC is dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where women can thrive, and we look forward to sharing our experiences and collaborating with our partners to further elevate women’s contributions across the energy sector.”

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Office of Emirates Global Aluminum, emphasised, “Diversity drives business performance and it is also good for society. We have been chartering new paths for women throughout EGA. Heavy industry in the UAE and around the world is traditionally male-dominated. We have made significant progress in promoting gender diversity but there is still more to do. At EGA, we believe that we can make faster progress working together with other industry champions in the UAE to address shared challenges and innovate solutions.”

Hein van Eck, CEO, Mediclinic Middle East, elaborated, “Mediclinic is honoured to support the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024, and also demonstrate our commitment to gender equality by signing the SDG 5 pledge to accelerate women’s leadership in the UAE private sector. More than possibly any other industry, healthcare is reliant on a strong female workforce, and as an employer we are proud that three-quarters of the Group’s employees are women. As a healthcare provider, we are committed to providing exceptional joined-up services for women’s unique health needs throughout their lives, and we are equally proud of the quality of care Mediclinic can offer our female patients across the UAE.”

Dena Almansoori, Group Chief AI and Data Officer, e&, stressed, “At e&, we believe that the transformative power of technology when combined with inclusive platforms like the Global Women’s Forum, can spark meaningful dialogue and foster positive change. This collaborative event echoes a shared national drive toward a future where all individuals have the tools and opportunities to innovate and lead. We’re proud to be the Forum’s technology partner and contribute to such a noble pursuit, advancing discussions on how AI and data can unlock new pathways to economic sustainability and further elevate the UAE’s role as a global leader in gender equality.”

Naeema Ahli, CEO of Dubai Women Establishment, extended her heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed partners of the Global Women’s Forum - Dubai 2024.

She emphasised that the collaboration of both government bodies and leading national and international organisations highlights a shared vision for the pivotal role of women in driving progress across diverse fields.

The Forum, which will attract over 3,000 participants, including global leaders, senior government officials, private sector executives, and international experts, is poised to play a pivotal role in this effort.

She also noted that hosting this prestigious global event for the third time underscores the UAE’s influential position on the world stage as a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment.

The Forum will play a critical role in supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 5, which is dedicated to gender equality. Over two days, attendees will engage in high-level discussions, share inspiring success stories, and exchange best practices.

The Forum will also serve as a powerful platform for forging impactful local and international partnerships, further advancing the role of women within various fields on a global scale.