Some of the leading Emirati women who proudly represent the UAE throughout the world: clockwise, from left: Mariam Bin Al Shaikh, Habiba Al Mar'ashi, Zeinab Ali, Alya Budhakan, Zel Ali, Sharihan Al Mashary and Dr. Shamsa Bin Hammad.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Emirati women have played a predominant role in the United Arab Emirates as encouraged by the leadership and as inspired by the nation’s founding father, the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

This Aug. 28 (Saturday) 2021 is the seventh year the country is celebrating their character and their contributions. It was in 2015 and on the 40th anniversary of the General Women’s Union, the national mechanism for women empowerment and leadership, that the special occasion of the Emirati Women’s Day, was initiated by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.

This year’s theme is “Ambitions and Inspirations in the Next 50 Years” as the United Arab Emirates commemorates as well its Golden Jubilee on Dec. 2, 2021.

Emirati women speak:

Sharjah Business Women’s Council (Swbc) Acting Manager Mariam Bin Al Shaikh: “SBWC is an embodiment of the unlimited ambitions of Emirati women and women in general. Our ambition and inspiration for the next 50 years is to take the success we have enjoyed in empowering women in the UAE on a global level.”

Engie Solutions (managing Dubai Tram) Quality executive Zeinab Ali: “Emirati women of today are the leaders and change-makers of society.”

Higher Colleges of Technology-Women’s Campus (Sharjah) IT Security and Forensics student Alya Budakhan: “As a local, I am proud of what the UAE has achieved in the past 50 years, knowing its humble beginnings.”

Medcare Hospital chief operations officer/Family Medicine consultant Dr. Shamsa Bin Hammad: “The year 2021 is an exceptional year for the UAE because Emirati women are an integral part of the development and process. Our wise leadership has secured and empowered Emirati women since the era of our father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may God have mercy on him).”

First Female Emirati hotel general manager/Arabian Young Leader/Emirates Woman Achiever awardee Sharihan Al Mashary: “In the next 50 years, we will see Emirati women leading and pioneering the economic growth through tourism and hospitality (on Earth and beyond), and will lead in the footsteps of our great nation’s founding father and our visionary Rulers.”

UNHCR Solidarity Circle member Zel Ali: “I always believe that equality and education for all is the quintessential key that we can learn from the past, we can develop in the present and we can envision and empower in the future.”

Emirates Green Building Council co-founder & treasurer Habiba Al Mar’ashi: “The Emirati Women’s Day signifies the nation’s commitment to empowering women and enabling them to push their boundaries. I have always believed that an Emirati woman stands for ambition and over the past years, we have witnessed how our women have led them from the forefront in every sector--from space exploration to environment management.”