Abu Dhabi: Emirati women’s astonishing achievements over the last 45 years have often turned heads and made headlines. However, their success comes as no surprise in Emirati circles, according to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s granddaughter.

“Emirati women have always played a very important role in the community. ‘Women are equal to men,’ that has always been in the mindset of the leaders and the people here (UAE),” Shaikha Mariam Bint Khalifa Bin Saif Al Nahyan told Gulf News.

“It didn’t surprise us when women were elected in the cabinet, taking up leading roles in the country, or when they set up ground-breaking businesses and the other long list of accomplishments that women in this country have achieved. Because this is what we believed in,” added Shaikha Mariam.

Shaikha Mariam is a successful businesswoman and the founder of MKS Jewellery. She sat with Gulf News at her residence and discussed her thoughts on Emirati women’s role in building the country over the years and her hopes for the country’s future.

Calm, soft-spoken but firm, she is quick to draw parallels between Emirati women’s role over 40 years ago and now, highlighting that they were leaders and businesswomen in their communities without the labels.

Shaikha Mariam explained that the women were in charge of running the house and the upbringing of the children, which could be many, in harsh desert conditions that did not include air-conditioning or hired help. They were also involved in their community’s development while supporting their husbands by creating additional income through selling their homemade products and handicrafts.

“They managed it all and very successfully,” she said.

She said the fact that women are achieving such amazing heights in diverse sectors is a natural progression for them and one that has always been supported by the local community and the leaders.

Using family experience to elaborate her point, she said, “When we visit my grandfather (President Shaikh Khalifa), he is always curious about what me, my brothers and sisters are up to, equally. He is interested, believes and supports whatever the girls are working on just as much as the boys. This is embedded in our roots.”

Shaikha Mariam said this attitude did not leave any room for women to feel as though they had to work harder than their male counterparts for the same job.

“The mentality among people in the emirates is, what can we do to help our country and to develop our country? What can we do to better ourselves, regardless of our gender,” she added.

She pauses before adding with a smile, “Our voices were heard a long time ago but maybe some people weren’t paying attention and didn’t hear our voice. But they have heard it now.”

Shaikha Mariam added that it was great to see so many Emirati women pursuing their dreams and starting their own businesses.

“We are very lucky here. If someone has a dream they can follow it and there are many people that will help them.”

With National Day approaching, she said she is excited and hopeful to see what the future hold for the emirates.

“If 45 years down the line, this is what we have achieved and this is how far we have come, in such a short span of time; the next 45 years are going to be very interesting and special,” she said enthusiastically.

“We are very blessed that we have leaders with a vision of what they want for the country and for the people. And we are equally blessed to have people who are very loving towards their leaders and embedded with a feeling to want to give and want to develop,” she said.

“There is a sense among our people to want to make the UAE the best country in the world,” she continued.

When asked what she will be doing on National Day, Shaikha Mariam said, “We usually travel somewhere in the UAE with friends and family and have a barbecue.”