UAE Gender Balance Council shares vision for women’s empowerment at Belgrade conference
The Council participated in the Second International High-Level Political Conference on the Political and Economic Empowerment of Women, presenting the UAE's comprehensive approach to advancing gender balance and women's leadership.
The UAE Gender Balance Council has showcased the nation’s pioneering work in advancing women’s participation and empowerment at the Second International High-Level Political Conference on the Political and Economic Empowerment of Women, RISE 2026, held in Belgrade, Serbia on 7 October.
The conference, themed ‘Building Alliances for Rising Generations’, brought together government officials, ministers, international organisation representatives, experts and private sector leaders to advance women’s participation in development and decision-making across the globe.
The Council’s delegation, led by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, and Mouza Mohammed Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General, delivered keynote addresses and participated in high-level ministerial discussions that highlighted the UAE’s legislative framework, policies and practices underpinning its gender balance achievements.
H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, emphasised that the UAE’s gender balance achievements are rooted in a comprehensive vision placing women’s participation at the heart of the nation’s development strategy. She stated that investing in women’s capabilities strengthens their role as development partners and enables society to draw upon its full human potential.
In her keynote address, Mona Al Marri outlined the UAE’s three-pronged approach: expanding women’s opportunities in leadership and decision-making; strengthening accountability through institutional measurement; and connecting education with career advancement amid technological transformation. She highlighted the UAE Gender Balance Index as a critical tool for measuring progress and recognising entities advancing gender balance across leadership, workplace practices and specialised fields.
A cornerstone of the UAE’s strategy is the SDG 5 Acceleration Pledge, launched by the Council in 2022 to increase women’s representation in middle and senior management at participating companies to 30%. The initiative targets 2025 for initial signatories and 2028 for subsequent participants, underscoring the private sector’s crucial role in fostering equal opportunities.
During the conference, the Council’s delegation held bilateral meetings with senior officials including the gender equality commissioners and ministers from Cyprus, Egypt, Nigeria, Libya and Serbia. These discussions focused on exchanging expertise, identifying shared priorities and exploring collaborative opportunities in advancing women’s empowerment across regions and sectors.
Source: WAM