Emirati women’s ambitions navigate all their challenges

The world marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11th February each year, as Emirati women, through their active presence across diverse scientific disciplines, continue to demonstrate that their ambitions know no bounds, especially in the space and nuclear energy domains.

Their contributions extend beyond a single field to include artificial intelligence, healthcare, and various branches of engineering, reflecting the UAE’s sustained commitment to empowering women and enabling them to contribute to building an advanced and prosperous future.

These achievements come as the UAE continues to record qualitative milestones in gender balance. The country ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa in the 2025 Gender Inequality Index issued by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), advancing from 49th place in 2018 to 13th globally in the same index, underscoring its prominent international standing in this field.

The UAE stands as a living model of women’s empowerment through policies and strategies aimed at strengthening their role in scientific and technological sectors, including the National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023-2031.

Last year witnessed the launch of the “Mother of the Nation 50:50” vision, which seeks to position the UAE at the forefront of countries offering the best model for women in future-focused sectors, while enhancing their role in technology, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.

Among the notable achievements resulting from this empowerment is the increased representation of women in the space sector. Women account for around 50% of the workforce in the UAE National Space Programme and nearly 80% of the scientific team behind the Emirates Mars Mission “Hope Probe’’, reflecting the capability and success of Emirati women in leading major scientific missions and assuming leadership roles in some of the most challenging fields of the modern era.

Emirati women’s participation in science also extends to nuclear energy, with the UAE making tangible progress in training and qualifying female professionals in this vital field.

The UAE has developed comprehensive national policies to support women across all future sciences, including the National Programme for Coders, which aims to train 100,000 coders, a significant proportion of whom are women, alongside the launch of several initiatives providing the necessary training and funding to empower female entrepreneurs in technology and innovation.

It was recently announced that women account for 56% of those enrolled at 42 Abu Dhabi, while Emirati women represent 56.5% of Emirati students, underscoring the advanced position Emirati women now hold in technology and technical fields, with positive implications for the nation’s future.

The UAE has launched the ‘sAIdaty’ AI programme, enabling 500 women to acquire skills in AI and cloud computing, as well as the “Investment Readiness Accelerator for Female Entrepreneurs,” equipping women with the expertise needed to lead technology start-ups and attract investment.

The UAE’s success in empowering women in technology and innovation is reflected in tangible figures and milestones, notably that 70% of university graduates in the country are women, 46% of whom specialise in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

A recent report says that throughout 2025, the UAE solidified its position as a global leader in women’s empowerment through landmark national initiatives and high-profile international appointments that placed Emirati women at the forefront of global decision-making.

A key milestone was the launch of the “Mother of the Nation’s 50:50 Vision,” a strategic roadmap extending to 2075 that focuses on enhancing quality of life.

To support these goals, the UAE Cabinet reorganised the UAE Gender Balance Council, refining legislative frameworks that helped the country rank 13th globally and first regionally in the 2025 UNDP Gender Equality Index.

Economic empowerment saw unprecedented developments this year with the General Women’s Union (GWU) introducing several global firsts. These included the creation of the world’s first official employment programme dedicated to “Productive Families,” which provides monthly salaries, benefits, and social security.

WAM