Empowering women is the UAE’s most strategic investment

When we talk about the UAE’s growth, we cannot separate the advancement of women from the advancement of the nation itself. Women are not passive beneficiaries; they are active forces of progress, shaping policies, leading businesses, and pioneering innovation that strengthens every pillar of society. At NAMA Women Advancement, this conviction drives all our work: empowerment is not symbolic; it is deliberate, measurable, and transformative - creating real opportunities that translate ambition into national progress.

Over the past decade, the UAE has seen women occupy 30 percent of senior positions across key government entities, and as per the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap 2025 Report, we are the regional leader in the subindex with a political parity score of 37.2 percent. These are not abstract figures - they represent deliberate policy changes, targeted leadership development programmes, and mentorship schemes designed to prepare Emirati women for roles where they can make decisive contributions.

Pathways to leadership

NAMA does more than advocate. Under the leadership of our Chairperson, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, it creates pathways for women to lead with initiatives at home and abroad. For example, NAMA’s flagship initiative ‘Irtiqa’, seeks to support both public and private organisations through strategic collaborations in adopting practices that promote equal opportunities and foster work environments that advance women and ensure their full participation.

Taking a community approach, the ‘NAMA Talks’ series addresses important areas of focus empowering women to harness new opportunities, focusing on themes such as navigating financial risks, building careers in STEM fields, and leveraging Artificial Intelligence for income generation. By creating a platform for meaningful dialogue ‘NAMA Talks’ provides women with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to make informed decisions that enhance their participation across all spheres of life.

Scholarships and research grants

Extending the role of Emirati support on a global level, the Jawaher Fund for the Advancement of Women’s Education supports women in pursuing advanced studies by offering scholarships and research grants, with a special focus on STEM, health, and social sciences. The Fund works in collaboration with leading universities worldwide, including NUST in Pakistan, as well as local partners such as the University of Sharjah.

These local and global initiatives reinforce our belief that granting women fair and equal access to quality education and employment is one of society’s most essential bids to achieve progress and stability.

Our commitment is rooted in strengthening local female-led enterprise and sharing Emirati knowledge and experience with the world. In the UAE, NAMA initiatives have supported over 2,500 women-owned businesses, forming strong bonds with local partners to enable access to finance, skills training, and market opportunities. Alongside our global collaborators and grass-roots NGOs, we have also designed more than 10 impactful initiatives that share this model of success, empowering 35,000+ beneficiaries across over 35 countries. Each enterprise symbolises a node of growth, creating jobs, driving innovation, and demonstrating that when women succeed, the economy succeeds.

As we mark Emirati Women’s Day, I see clearly that our future is inseparable from women’s leadership; and Emirati women are central to the UAE’s ambitions. Through the lens of ‘We the UAE 2031’, which aims to double the nation’s GDP to Dh3 trillion while fostering social and economic development, women’s leadership and entrepreneurship will be critical engines of growth. Looking even further ahead, the UAE Centennial 2071 envisions a nation equipped for the challenges of tomorrow, where future generations inherit a country shaped by knowledge, skill, and vision.

At NAMA, we are committed to ensuring that Emirati women are not only participants in this journey but architects of it - prepared, empowered, and positioned to lead the UAE into its next chapter of prosperity, innovation, and global influence.

Mariam Al Hammadi is Director-General of NAMA Women’s Advancement