Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Under the theme “Emirati Women in Entrepreneurship”, the Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) and the Department of Economic Development (DED), Dubai, organized a ceremony to celebrate the Emirati Women’s Day, which fell on August 28, 2019.

Held at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), the event was attended many Emirati female entrepreneurs and leaders.

The event started with a keynote speech by Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, President of Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) and a welcome speech by Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director-General, DED.

Also, the ceremony included a panel discussion moderated by Laila Mohammed Al Jassim, Director of Knowledge Management & Creativity at Dubai Economy Department, with the participation of Dr. Aisha Al Busmait, Director of the Government Communication Department at the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport, Anisa Al Sharif, Family and Educational Advisor and Founder of Tanshia, and Noura Abbas Ahmed, Director Program Administration & Delivery Division, Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS).

In her opening speech, Dr. Al Gurg shed light on the remarkable contributions of Emirati women in the development of the country and the achievements they made throughout the years.

Al Gurg underlined that Emirati women were and still partners in building the country and an indispensable element in the upbringing of future generations, and the sustainability and prosperity of our country.

She pointed out that the country’s wise leadership was confident in the competency of Emirati women and their ability to be an integral part of building the future in the political, economic and social fields.

Al Gurg went on saying: “Our celebration today has an exceptional symbolism, as it coincides with the Year of Tolerance and held under the umbrella of tolerance leadership, in addition to celebrating the female tolerance leaders. On those grounds, we, at DBWC, and DED decided to dedicate our ceremony today to highlight the prominent contribution of Emirati women in developing the economy and introducing her accomplishments, as well as learning from her experiences.”

Al Gurg called on the Emirati women to continue to achieve their goals and to be armed with knowledge and creativity and to invest in boosting their skills, competencies, and self-improvement. She stated that the DBWC is an ideal platform for supporting and empowering women in the business community, thanks to the provision of specialized training programs that meet the needs of Emirati women.

In turn, Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director-General, DED, said: “Women are key partners in the social and economic development progress witnessed by the UAE and Dubai specifically. They are not only mothers and housewives, but as are also a workforce and pioneers contributing to advancing the economy and other fields.

Realizing this fact, the Department of Economic Development and its subsidiaries pay utmost attention to empowering Emirati women especially in startups and entrepreneurial sector, and to foreseeing the future of business sector and development plans so as to provide added value to the national product and the economy of the country, Ibrahim added.  “The DED plays an active role in training and qualifying Emirati women at various levels. It facilitates doing businesses and provides all solutions and incentives that contribute to enhancing their (Emirati women) presence in the labor market”, he further said.

Deputy Director-General, DED, highlighted that according to the latest figures, business licenses for Emirati businesswomen account for about 40% of total businesswomen licenses registered in Dubai.  In addition, Emirati women hold 1806 licenses out of a total of 3,100 “trader licenses” equivalent to 59%, which are provided by the licensing and commercial registration sector for those wishing to do business via social media channels from the Emirate of Dubai

The meeting showcased a series of inspirational success stories of Emirati women in the business community, where the participants highlighted their experiences in the work environment and their contribution to developing the business community.

On the sidelines of the event, the DBWC dedicated a special area for those who are willing to obtain the membership of the council within few minutes and to take advantage of a broad range of benefits and services that would help improve their skills and experiences.

Worth mentioning that Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation has called for holding this year’s celebrations under the theme “Women … Symbol of Tolerance”.