Dubai will welcome female leaders, businesswomen and pioneers from across the world next week when it hosts the Global Women’s Forum.
Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed, president of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said leaders would share experiences, exchange best practices and look at improving policies to bring about further equality during the two-day event.
Among the prominent speakers and guests is former British Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump.
“It is an honour to host Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020, which is an important milestone in the UAE’s ongoing journey to elevate the status of women across all sectors,” said Sheikha Manal, who is also president of Dubai Women Establishment.
“The UAE provides an inspirational model for the empowerment and socio-economic participation of women. The country has created a highly supportive environment for women to enhance their contributions to society.”
Also attending the event on Sunday and Monday at Madinat Jumeirah are Caren Grown, the World Bank Group’s most senior gender official, Kosovar politician Mimoza Kusari Lila, the first woman to become a mayor in her country, and Captain Brenda Berkman, who won a legal case allowing her and 40 other women to become New York’s first female firefighters in 1982.
Captain Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, a pilot from Dubai’s ruling family, and Dr Rana Dajani, a Jordanian molecular scientist, are among about 3,000 speakers and delegates.
“Many countries in the region have launched concerted efforts to empower women and promote gender parity,” said Sheikha Manal, who is married to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
“The UAE has been at the forefront of women’s empowerment in the region and made outstanding progress in reducing the gender gap, achievements that have helped significantly raise the country’s rankings in global gender balance indicators.”
The event “provides an opportunity to highlight this progress and share our experiences with the global community so that we can together influence policies and foster partnerships to further women’s positive impact across the world,” Sheikha Manal said.
With the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ set to significantly change the future of work, a plenary session will explore the expected fast-paced transformation of the economy, and provide insights into the various ways women can establish steady careers and pursue greater success.
Topics will include business and industry; philanthropy and international relations.
Other sessions focus on how to empowering women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa.
Source: https://bit.ly/2SwCIUY