Contrary to the perception of many people in the West, Arab women are able to choose a career in many fields of endeavour. Gulf News talks to young UAE women who look forward to a distinguished future serving the government and representing their nation, in the hope it will bring enlightenment and greater understanding to people living in other countries.

Emarati women have scaled one more barrier as they make forays into the gilt-edged field of diplomacy, for the first time in the history of the UAE.

Today, as government and private universities mushroom in the country, higher education has created opportunities for Emarati women. As they make an impact in business, security, medicine, media, pure research, designers… but of late the UAE diplomatic corps has inculcated graduates to the service.

Speaking to Gulf News during a training course on negotiation skills at the Emirates Institute of Diplomacy (EID) in Abu Dhabi, young women attachés reveal the significance of tackling new opportunities and the opening of another opportunity in their lives.

They may be novices in Foreign Service and UAE has not yet got a woman ambassador but these young women are still trendsetters. For they have set foot into an arena which, until now in the UAE, was dominated by men.

Enthusing over the decision of the ministry to open up the diplomatic world to women, this cadre of attachés (the junior-most rank in the UAE diplomatic corps) and third secretaries (one rank above attaché) are fired-up about their choice of career.

Rehab Ali Khamis Al Mansoori, who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an attaché one year ago says, "I love it here. It's a place where we can learn and specialise in international relations, learn about new cultures and get an opportunity to project our society in the correct light and serve our country."

As a political science graduate from the UAE University in Al Ain, she was motivated to join the ministry because of an interest in current political affairs and problems.

"International relations fascinates me and I've always been keen to understand the reasons behind world events," Rehab reveals, who is posted at the Information Centre of the EID. Her goal is to be recognised as a reference point for affairs in the Arab world, she says.

Political environment

Similarly, attaché Noura Al Hameli, who had grown up in an environment where politics was discussed around her because of her father, hopes to specialise in Arab World affairs one day.

Luckily, for her she is based in the Arab World section in the ministry and has been involved in her first year of service, she says, writing reports, receiving reports from UAE embassies abroad, meeting foreign ambassadors and training at the Institute.

There's always the distant dream of the prestigious posting one day and getting the opportunity to represent UAE in a foreign land. These young Emaratis are only too aware of this possibility and are excited to "serve their country."

"We would love to travel to different countries and project our country in a good light. There's lot of misconceptions about our society, especially of the status of women here," says Noura Al Hameli, whose dream is to make it to the United Nations one day.

Some of the new entrants to the diplomatic corps were sent to the United Nations for a few months recently, Noura reveals. It's encouraging the field has opened up for women as well, observes Shaikha Al Zaabi, who has been promoted to the rank of a third secretary after serving two years in the ministry.

"I believe it's because of Sheikha Fatima and the success we've had in other fields. We've shown we can be responsible and this has opened up our career choices and we have the chance to work in the foreign ministry as well today.

"If women have shouldered the burden of work with men in the past, why not now?" demands Shaikha. Coming from a family where education is considered a major premium, she chose the Foreign Service because she had the options open to her with her political science degree.

"Once we graduate in political science, we have three options before us. We can either join the ministry of foreign affairs, a research centre or the media," she explains.

Having been selected at the ministry after a written and an oral exam, she's currently based in the Asian and African affairs department.

The lure of the diplomatic arena is not the power and glamour, points out the Hanan Khlfan Al Alili, third secretary in the administrative department.

"Instead, it's a new field where we can show off our strengths. There's a belief women are not good in politics," she says proudly.

Hanan goes on to point out that shortly, a woman UAE ambassador will become a reality and with the increasing support of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Nahyan, the wife of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, women are also set to enter the Federal National Council.

What difference do they hope to bring to the world of foreign diplomacy? Women can bring a softer and more understanding approach to politics, replies Hamda Al-Mansoori, a commercial attaché. A history student from the UAE University, Hamda turned to a career in the Foreign service because of her diplomat father.

Common platform

Interestingly, the women may wax eloquent on marching shoulder to shoulder with men in the workforce. But, at the same time they do not wish to cross the boundaries laid down by tradition and religion for women.

"We will always stick to our attire and behaviour as laid down by Islamic traditions," states Hanan Khlfan Al Alili, who married a colleague in the ministry of foreign affairs after being among the first batch of women to enter the diplomatic corps three years ago.

"I got interested in politics when I did a stint at the Arab League section in the UAE Embassy in Cairo. And when I heard that the UAE was opening up the diplomatic world to include women, I jumped at the chance," Hanan explains.

Presently, she may be involved in administrative duties handling scholarship applications for young nationals at the ministry, but Hanan is highly enthusiastic about her career.

In an attempt to further herself in her job, she quickly did a course on etiquette, believing it to be a requirement of her profession.

All these young national women, who might well represent their country abroad, have one thing in common. They are conscious of the responsibility placed upon them and grateful for the opportunity to be part of a dynamic career. And, hope one day to influence the foreign policy of their country with their contributions.