Today's Edition
By: Dr Yousef Abdullah Al Obeidli*
During a visit with my family to one of the world's ancient cities, we settled at a café overlooking a vast square bustling with people and movement. As I sat there, my eyes wandered across the historic buildings, and I found myself reflecting on the civilisation that had shaped this city — a civilization that many regard as the pinnacle of human progress.
While we were seated, our attention was drawn to a waitress who worked energetically, serving every customer with a smile that never left her face.
She moved from one table to the next as though racing against time. Since we visited the café more than once, we eventually struck up a conversation with her.
Through our discussion, we learned that she worked grueling shifts, sometimes lasting as long as twelve hours a day, without a single weekly day off, for wages that barely covered her basic needs. There was no room for comfort, no genuine opportunity to rest — only the bare minimum required to endure.
That brief conversation left me pondering a deeper question: How can a city of such breathtaking beauty, in a country regarded as one of the most advanced in the world, place such relentless pressure on a person? Moreover, is the mere proclamation of women's rights enough to claim that women truly enjoy a dignified life? This is not a question about one city or one nation in particular; it is about an entire philosophy adopted by some societies, which see themselves as the ideal model that should be extended to the rest of the world.
Almost instinctively, my thoughts turned to my beloved homeland and to what it has offered women. Here, the approach is profoundly different. It is not built on copying the experiences of others, but on a deep understanding of the nature of our society and the needs of its people.
Since the days of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – may his soul rest in peace – women's empowerment has been an integral part of the nation's vision for building human potential, rather than a response to a global trend or a media slogan.
For this reason, empowering women in the UAE has never been confined to opening the doors to the labour market. Rather, it has meant creating an integrated system that enables women to thrive without forcing them to sacrifice their families or their stability.
Supportive legislation, flexible working policies, remote work, maternity leave and initiatives that promote harmony between professional and family life have all ensured that a woman's career complements her role within the family rather than competing with it.
This vision was steadfastly advanced by the lifelong companion of Sheikh Zayed, may he rest in peace, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, affectionately known as the "Mother of the Nation." Her leadership has been instrumental in the success of Emirati women.
These initiatives have reached far beyond the country’s borders, as her granddaughter, Sheikha Fatima bint Mohamed bin Zayed, has launched a humanitarian and development initiative dedicated to empowering less fortunate communities and supporting women living in conflict-affected regions.
This is the essence of women's empowerment. Yet this understanding is clearly not universal.
While attending one of the academic seminars in the West, a discussion arose about the image of women in the Middle East. As the conversation revolved around freedom and rights, my mind drifted back to something I had witnessed only the day before: an advertisement displayed on a public bus portraying a woman in a manner so immodest that I found myself distracting my children so that they would not see it.
At that moment, a fundamental question emerged: Is everything presented under the banner of freedom truly an expression of freedom? Or do some of the symbols of modernity merely conceal new forms of exploitation?
The status of women in the UAE begins within the family. A mother is held in the highest esteem, a sister is treated with profound respect and a wife is an equal partner in building the family.
These are values that are continually reaffirmed in our religious and social discourse, including Friday sermons, which regularly emphasise the importance of honouring one's mother, treating her with kindness and caring for our mothers, sisters and daughters as a deeply rooted moral value. In our culture, a woman is a partner, a source of strength, and a companion through life's journey.
On the day of Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, went out to his companions without speaking to anyone. Following the counsel of his wife, the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salama, he sacrificed his offering and had his head shaved.
As I watched the announcement by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the "Mother of the Nation," unveiling the slogan for Emirati Women's Day 2026, "We Emerge Stronger and Better", and declaring that the occasion would be celebrated over the course of an entire month rather than a single day, my thoughts returned to the waitress we had met at the beginning of our journey.
What she lacked was not diligence, nor ambition. She possessed both in abundance. What she was missing was something equally essential: a social framework that values balance and recognises the unique circumstances and needs of every individual within society.
*Emirati Researcher
