His Highness Sheikh Mohammed attends opening of Arab Women Leadership Forum in Dubai

Over 500 prominent regional women leaders representing diverse fields across the Arab world are participating at the first forum of its kind in the region that is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and is organised by Dubai Women's Establishment (DWE) in collaboration with the Dubai School of Government (DSG) as the knowledge partner.

The two-day event being held at the Monarch Hotel, titled 'Women and Leadership: Global Trends and Local Innovations', is designed to closely examine challenges hindering the advancement of Arab women and help develop a blueprint on their future role in the region.

In her keynote address during the opening session, Her Highness Sheikha Manal
Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women's Establishment (DWE , and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister for Presidential Affairs , encouraged participants to present innovative concepts while assuming leadership roles in their home countries and face the current challenges while taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves in today's world.

Expressing solidarity with Palestinian women, Her Highness Sheikha Manal praised their courage in facing the current crisis and highlighted their extraordinary strength that has always inspired Arab women, instilling pride in them.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal attributed the success of UAE women to the vision and encouragement of the leaders of the UAE and said: "We are indeed grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid who has always promoted the empowerment of Emirati women and ensured that we gain the necessary skill sets to succeed as equal partners in the progress of the country."

"The women in the UAE also owe their success to the vigorous support of the entire leadership of the country as they have constantly supported women to take reins and actively lead various organisations. As a result, we are pleased to see a whole new generation of prominent women leaders who have been able to represent the UAE on local, regional and international forums," she added

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed concluded her address by highlighting the remarkable role played by Her Highness Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and of the UAE General Women's Union.

She added, "Her Highness Sheikh Fatima is a pioneer in encouraging women's leadership, having led the UAE women and inspired us to achieve success."

In her closing remarks on the first day, Maitha Al-Shamsi, Managing Director of Dubai Women Establishment, highlighted the establishment's goals and long-term ambitions.

The second day of the Arab Women's Leadership Forum will include a series of workshops and break-out sessions. To be led by Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of DWE, and Her Excellency Sheikha Najla Al Qassimi, Ambassador and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Sweden, the segments will primarily serve a motivational purpose, highlighting DWE's five-year multipronged strategy to an audience of UAE national students, professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Arab Women Leadership Forum in Dubai seeks to explore the academic scholarship on gender and public policy and ultimately contribute towards a better understanding of the gender gap in leadership in the Arab world. Simultaneously, the Forum also seeks to empower women by highlighting their successful contributions to the growth and development of the region.