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8/28/25, 8:10 AM Emirati Women's Day 2025: Celebrating 50 years of empowerment
globally.

Role of PPPs in women’s empowerment

The role played by public-private partnerships (PPPs) and civil society institutions is critically important in managing the
empowerment of Emirati women. These partnerships create a collaborative framework that combines government
initiatives with private sector innovation and civil society advocacy, enabling the effective design and implementation of
programs that bolster women’s participation in all societal spheres. The UAE’s National Policy for Empowerment of
Emirati Women 2023-2031 explicitly highlights the synergy needed among federal and local government, private sector,
and civil society as essential to advancing women’s leadership, improving their quality of life, and integrating women into
labor markets and future sectors.

Amira Sajwani, managing director at DAMAC Properties shared her thoughts, “Public–private partnerships and civil
society institutions play a vital role in advancing the empowerment of Emirati women by translating national strategies into
real opportunities. Initiatives led by bodies such as the UAE Gender Balance Council, chaired by H.H. Sheikha Manal bint
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the General Women’s Union, and Dubai Women Establishment, together with strong
commitments from the private sector, have helped embed gender equality into workplaces, entrepreneurship, and
leadership. This collaboration ensures women are not only participating but leading across sectors, which strengthens our
economy, enriches our communities, and reflects the UAE’s vision for inclusive and sustainable growth.”
PPP initiatives help provide women with increased access to education, employment opportunities, and leadership roles, as
seen in the UAE’s high female participation in public sector jobs (66 percent) and leadership positions (30 percent) as well
as significant representation in education and health sectors. The government mandates female representation on corporate
boards and established the UAE Gender Balance Council to ensure ongoing gender balance progress across workplaces,
which depend heavily on joint efforts from public and private stakeholders. Civil society organizations amplify these efforts
through awareness, advocacy, and grassroots engagement, ensuring policies translate into real empowerment outcomes.

Moreover, PPPs play a key role in forging sustainable development and economic growth by preparing qualified Emirati
women through education and skilled workforce development, supporting the nation’s global economic competitiveness
and social cohesion goals. Internationally, the UAE promotes women’s economic inclusion and leadership through
partnerships aligning with UN Women and other global forums, positioning women as drivers of peace, stability, and
prosperity.

Sajwani elaborated, “In the private sector, Emirati women are equally impactful, building enterprises, fostering innovation,
and engaging in philanthropy that reinforces these same values. At DAMAC, I’ve seen firsthand how Emirati women
through our Nationals Acquisition and Management Acceleration (NaMa) program, contribute to projects that blend
progress with purpose, aligning with the ‘Hand in Hand’ theme.”

Amira Sajwani, managing director of sales & development at DAMAC Properties

Leap in literacy rates

Education has been a transformative force in empowering Emirati women to play a vital role in nation-building, and this
influence has grown significantly in recent years. Emirati women now constitute around 70 percent of all
university graduates in the UAE, with 77 percent enrolling in higher education after secondary school. This remarkable
statistic is a testament to the country’s commitment to providing quality education and opportunities for women to excel
academically and professionally. Additionally, women make up 56 percent of graduates in STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) fields at government universities, supporting the UAE’s vision to build a knowledge-based
economy driven by innovation and technology.

Over the past decades, the UAE has seen a leap in women’s literacy, reaching 95.8 percent, and continued investment in
educational infrastructure and policies that foster gender equality. Historically, the adult literacy rate among women was
only 31 percent in 1975; today, it stands on par with men, at nearly 95 percent, reflecting robust progress towards
educational parity.
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