Denying entry to approximately 50% of the population, women, into the workspace, significantly hamper the productivity, as well as the economy of the nation. There are many nations that do that, but the UAE isn’t one of them. In the UAE, there are various government policies and initiatives to promote the participation of women, the results are visible on the ground; there was a surge of more than 23% in women’s participation in the workforce in 20223, and in 2024, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report, the UAE is ranked top in gender equality in the region. In this blog, we will shed some light on women in the UAE workplace.
Historical Context Of Women’s Participation
In the old times, the UAE was conservative in its workforce participation. They did not allow women to work and confined them to domestic duties. For a longer part of time, women didn’t have access to education beyond a basic level, this became the reason for their focus on household chores and childcare.
However, things changed after the discovery of oil in the 1960s, which opened the door for various individuals to come to the UAE, and many of them were women. This scenario of women working alongside men challenged the historical notion of the people of the UAE and started a new era where the government of the UAE started schemes and policies to promote women’s education and their participation in the workforce, eventually contributing to the economy of the nation.
Government Initiatives And Policies Promoting Women’s Employment
In order to promote the participation of women in the workforce, the government of the UAE has introduced a lot of initiatives and policies at various levels that will help women get an education and become skilled at work. Below, we have listed all the major steps taken by the UAE government to promote women’s employment:
Education And Training
- Investment in education: The first thing the government did was to invest heavily in education for women. This is like laying the foundation and ensuring that women have access to quality education and training opportunities.
- STEM initiatives: The main focus of these policies was to inculcate women in the more demanding professions, that’s why their policies encourage women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
- Vocational training: In order to prevent their education from going in vain, the UAE government started vocational training programs to help women learn and get practical skills for various industries.
Women’s Empowerment Programs
Only educating and training them to become skilled laborers won’t be enough. So, there have been multiple programs run by the government of the UAE to empower women in different roles, such as leadership development programs that help women develop leadership skills, mentorship programs to connect them with experienced professionals to provide guidance and support, and entrepreneurship initiatives to encourage women to start their own businesses.
Workplace Flexibility
- Flexible work arrangements: Companies in the UAE offer women a lot of flexible options for work arrangements, such as remote work and flexible hours, to accommodate women’s needs.
- Childcare facilities: There are a lot of firms and government agencies that offer childcare facilities to support working mothers.
Legal Rights And Protections For Women
The UAE government has not only implemented policies and schemes for educating and empowering women but also provided legal steel frames to protect them from exploitation and discrimination.
- Equal access to education: Regardless of gender, everyone in the UAE has the equal right to access to education at all levels.
- Equal pay for equal work: If the work done by men and women is the same, then the UAE has laws that guarantee equal pay, regardless of gender.
- Maternity leave: In the UAE, it is mandatory for all firms to provide women with paid maternity leave to care for their newborns.
- Anti-discrimination laws: Numerous labor laws protect women from discrimination in the workplace based on gender.
Key Industries And Sectors For Women
At last, let us discuss the major industries and sectors where women thrive the most in the UAE. Below, we have curated the list of them:
- Medical professionals
- Journalism
- Public service
- Investment and wealth management
- Teaching
- Public relations
Conclusion
So, this was all about the workplace in the UAE. From the historical background to the modern-day situation with numerous policies and schemes of the UAE government to educate and make them industry-ready, we have seen a complete 180-degree shift. Further, we have listed some of the professions in which women thrive the most. We hope you have liked the information and will share will every woman who needs motivation and encouragement. See you next time in some other blog, with some other topic. Till then, take care and keep thriving in your career!
Priya, a Digital Marketer and Content Writer with 4 years of experience, creates valuable guides for UAE expatriates at UAEFresher. A passionate traveler, she has visited the UAE numerous times, bringing her love for exploration into her informative content for newcomers and residents.