Today's Edition
DUBAI (WAM)
The UAE Gender Balance Council has launched the National Gender Balance Survey as part of the development of the UAE Gender Balance Strategy 2027–2031, in a step aimed at expanding community participation and consolidating insights and data informing key priorities for the next phase.
The development of the new strategy builds on the UAE’s proven approach of placing people at the heart of development initiatives, investing in their capabilities, and advancing policies, legislation and initiatives to support equal opportunities, while preparing for the economic, social and technological transformations reshaping the future of societies, labour markets, and the global economy.
Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, affirmed that, guided by the vision of its wise leadership, the UAE continues to advance its comprehensive development model with its strong emphasis on investing in people and empowering them to shape the future.
Her Highness noted that the country’s remarkable success in promoting gender equality sets the stage for still greater ambitions in the next phase.
Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed said, “We want the UAE Gender Balance Strategy 2027–2031 to reflect the country’s ambitions for the next phase, keep pace with rapid global transformations and open new horizons for talent and expertise to enrich the development journey, while also unlocking promising future opportunities, strengthening the UAE’s competitiveness, and reinforcing its global leadership in promoting gender balance.”
Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Mona Ghanem Al Marri, affirmed that the development of the new strategy is guided by a forward-looking perspective that goes beyond evaluating current realities to anticipate the changes that will impact people’s lives and opportunities in the years ahead.
These include transformations in the labour market, the future economy, artificial intelligence and future skills, alongside social shifts, caregiving patterns, and quality of life.
She said, “The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, and with it, the nature of work, skills, opportunities and responsibilities is changing. The question guiding the development of the new strategy is therefore not defined by where we stand today, but how we prepare now for the changes that will reshape the years ahead, and how we turn them into opportunities that strengthen the participation of all members of society and their contribution to the economy and the development process.”
Al Marri added that the development of the 2027–2031 Strategy is based on an integrated approach that brings together data and analysis, stakeholder dialogue, institutional and sectoral expertise, and community participation, enabling priorities to be developed based on a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape and an informed outlook on the future, while at the same time taking into account the UAE’s identity, unique characteristics, and national priorities.
Within this framework, the National Gender Balance Survey represents one of the key stages in the strategy development process, broadening engagement to include people from diverse segments of society, professional backgrounds, and stages of life.
This complements existing data and indicators with direct insights reflecting people’s experiences, needs, and aspirations.
Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, Mouza Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, said, “Numbers and indicators provide us with a distinct part of the picture, while listening to people’s experiences adds an equally important dimension.
Through the National Survey, we are working to broaden the base of insights we draw upon and comprehend diverse experiences from different segments of society and across the emirates.”
She added, “The survey results will not be considered in isolation from the other stages of the strategy development process. Rather, they will be integrated with the data, consultations and expertise being gathered and analysed as part of this process, leading to a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges at hand and helping to identify the priorities that require focus during the next phase.”
The survey covers a range of topics related to people’s everyday experiences and future aspirations, including economic participation, career development and financial security, social care and quality of life, as well as future skills and the impact of technology, artificial intelligence and economic transformations on opportunities and career pathways.
The survey is aimed at UAE citizens and residents, both men and women, across different age groups, sectors and professional and life stages in all seven emirates, ensuring diverse participation and enabling a broader understanding of experiences and perspectives.
The survey protects participants’ identities, takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and is available in Arabic and English.
Anyone wishing to participate in the survey can access it through the link:
https://sapience.survey-research.net/GBC-Insta?lang=en
Through the sustained development of its national gender balance strategies and policies, the UAE seeks to build on the remarkable progress it has achieved to date while looking ahead to new areas where further breakthroughs can be achieved in the future, supporting the country’s global competitiveness, quality of life, and the sustainability of its development journey.
