As the UAE celebrates the third Emirati Women’s Day on Monday, to commemorate significant milestones in empowering its women, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment salutes the invaluable contributions of the UAE’s women to national sustainable development efforts.

In a statement marking the occasion, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said, "Four decades ago, when the UAE federation was established in December 1971, various factors ensured that only a handful of Emirati women had the capacity to participate in developmental efforts.

"Since then, we have witnessed a sea of change taking place before our eyes. Our visionary leadership paid particular attention to the participation of Emirati women in the nation-building process. The government realised early on that to truly achieve sustainable development, the real and active participation of the entire population, both men and women, was mandatory."

Women in the UAE have traditionally stood head to head with their male counterparts in driving development. This was a legacy established by the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the minister added. "He firmly believed that women are not merely half of the society regarding numbers, but also in terms of their participation in the responsibility of creating and nurturing new generations through holistically informing and educating them."

Dr. Thani Al-Zeyoudi went on to say, "The UAE leadership has prioritised education, capacity building and empowerment as core focus areas for human development, aimed at shaping the national leaders of tomorrow. In just a few decades, Emirati women have become essential partners in accelerating the country’s development efforts and achieving its global ambitions."

Emirati women currently occupy nearly two-thirds of key government jobs and leadership positions, he said, adding that they play a contributory and proactive role in the private sector as employees and businesswomen.

For example, at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, Emirati women are a force to reckon with today, occupying over 55 percent of the total workforce, distributed among different grades and technical and administrative areas of specialisation. They are excellent, enthusiastic and willing workers and true team players, Al-Zeyoudi explained.

"Looking at the Arab world today, we realise that the progress achieved by Emirati women is neither sudden nor unexpected. Rather, it is the logical and satisfying outcome of years of sustained hard work by these women that speaks volumes of their exceptional ability to seize available opportunities and make the best of them. This determination and unyielding attitude have helped them develop their knowledge and skills and enhanced their ability to join in our country’s advancement as true partners.

In his statement, the minister quoted the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as saying, "The recent heights achieved by Emirati women in all fields are not sudden developments, but the result of a long process that was established by the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan."

"The role of women in achieving sustainable development is inseparable from their role in other fields. Given its global implications, it is perhaps, even more vital. More than 80 percent of Emirati women demonstrated a high level of environmental awareness as confirmed by the results of the ‘Survey on measuring the environmental awareness of women in the UAE’, conducted by the UAE General Women's Union," Dr. Al-Zeyoudi continued.

"We are keen to encourage and foster the capabilities, awareness and enthusiasm of Emirati women and employ them in the best possible way to achieve sustainable development in line with the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 and the UAE Centennial Plan 2071.

"In commemorating Emirati Women's Day this year, I am pleased and privileged to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the most inspiring and influential woman in our country today, the Mother of the Nation, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak. I express my deepest admiration and appreciation to the UAE’s women for their excellent efforts in ensuring the progress of our society and homeland, and for helping the UAE flag fly high across global skies," he concluded.