(From left to right): Hala Badri, Khawla Al Mehairi, Mona Al Marri, and Lamia Khan at the press conference on the ‘Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020’ in Dubai on Tuesday.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

The second edition of the Global Women’s Forum Dubai, the platform for thematic women empowerment discussions and engagements of the Dubai Women’s Establishment (DWE), will be on Feb.16 and 17 at the Madinat Jumeirah. A landmark feature is the “positive narratives” from women achievers.

DWE, under the leadership of Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and wife of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, was organized in 2006 under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Its aim is the increasing participation of Emirati women in all local, regional and international sectors and industries including community development and social responsibility, athletics, arts, philanthropy, and business with guidance from local, regional and international individuals.

The Tuesday press conference detailed components of “Global Women Forum Dubai 2020,” (GWFD2020), such as the “global knowledge” support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

DWE managing director/Board chairman Mona Al Marri said “one (DWE) target” is for the UAE, through the continuing boosting of women participation, will be among the “Top 25” countries in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Gender Equality Index Report.

The UNDP annual publication ranks governments according to the following indicators: maternal mortality rates, adolescent birth rate, percentage share of women legislators/parliamentarians such as in the UAE Federal National Council, percentage share of adult women who has acquired secondary education age 25 and above, as well as proportion of women in the labour force from age 15 and above.

“We are now in the 26th (2019; 49th in 2015). We expect major changes in the report with equal opportunities (abounding among women in the UAE),” said Al Marri.

One opportunity — among others that include the full support of the UAE leadership — is GWFD2020, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The theme is “Power to Influence.”  

As such, in the “Game Changers” sessions of the gathering of 3,000 international delegates, women of various backgrounds will trek their respective journeys.

They are Capt. Sheikha Mozah Bint Marwan Al Maktoum, the first female pilot from the royal family in the UAE; Carla Harris, Morgan Stanley vice chairman-managing director-Senior Client advisor; Retired Capt. Brenda Berkman,  pioneering firefighter; Dr. Rana Dajani, Jordanian Molecular scientist and “We Love Reading” founder; Dr. Ghada Al Mutairi, University of California (San Diego) scholar; Dina El Shenoufy, Flat6Labs (Egypt) chief investment officer; Daniele Henkel, Canadian businesswoman/Women Entrepreneurs Finance (We-Fi) Leadership champion; and Laura Lane, UPS-Global Affairs president.

Entrepreneurship sessions for delegates from emerging markets courtesy of We-Fi will be sideline events at the Mina Al Salaam.

Confirmed speakers are Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director and David Malpass, World Bank Group president.

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, will speak on leadership through art and culture.

“Influence is a word that has a positive impact (and so the theme),” said Al Marri when Gulf Today asked for the choice.

A statement from Sheikha Manal read: “If we look at the UAE, the impact of our leadership’s vision over the past 50 years has made our nation synonymous with unprecedented achievements across numerous fields, and has always been inclusive of women. We have become a reference point on how to transform perceived encouragement for women to realize their full potential—a commitment which will always remain a top national priority.