RENEWED CALL FOR UAE WOMEN TO JOIN THE FEDERAL

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001708 SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, AND NAE/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A TAGS: PGOV KWMN TC SUBJECT: RENEWED CALL FOR UAE WOMEN TO JOIN THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL ¶1. SUMMARY: PROMINENT GULF WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN A CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT MADE A STRONG PITCH TO THE UAEG TO INCLUDE EMIRATI WOMEN IN THE UAE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL (FNC). THE CALL CAME DURING A SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE UAE GENERAL WOMEN'S UNION (GWU) ENTITLED "PARLIAMENTARY PERFORMANCE OF ARAB WOMEN" ON MAY 16-17. UAE FIRST LADY SHAYKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK, GWU DIRECTOR GENERAL NOURA AL SUWEIDI, MEMBERS OF THE ABU DHABI NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL (ADNCC),MEMBERS OF ABU DHABI BUSINESSWOMEN'S COUNCIL, AND INTELLECTUALS AND OFFICIALS FROM THE UAE AND GCC COUNTRIES ATTENDED THE SYMPOSIUM. END SUMMARY. ¶2. THE TWO-DAY GWU SYMPOSIUM, ORGANIZED JOINTLY WITH THE CAIRO-BASED ARAB CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURISTIC RESEARCH, STUDIED THE REASONS BEHIND THE ABSENCE OF WOMEN IN THE UAE AND OTHER GULF COUNTRIES' LEGISLATURES. IN PARTICULAR, PARTICIPANTS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UAEG'S INTERVENTION TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN THE APPOINTED FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL. THE ENGLISH DAILY "KHALEEJ TIMES" QUOTED SHAYKHA FATIMA AS SAYING THAT THE GWU, IN COORDINATION WITH THE FNC, HAS BEEN CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSION PANELS WITH THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING WOMEN AND PREPARING THEM TO TAKE PART IN PARLIAMENTARY LIFE. THE ENGLISH DAILY "GULF NEWS" REPORTED THAT A MEMBER OF ADNCC HAD SAID THAT THERE ARE WERE LEGAL OBSTACLES FOR WOMEN WILLING TO ENTER POLITICS AND THE UAE AUTHORITIES WERE LIKELY TO TAKE A DECISION AS SOON AS "THE RIGHT TIME COMES." HE CONTINUED TO SAY THAT "WE WILL SEE WOMEN IN THE FNC VERY SOON." ¶3. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS URGED GULF GOVERNMENTS TO RESERVE SEATS FOR WOMEN IN THEIR LEGISLATURES AS A FIRST STEP TO INCREASING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS; IMPROVE ELECTION LAWS BY AMENDING OR REMOVING MEASURES THAT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WOMEN; DELETE FROM THE CURRICULUM ANY MATERIAL THAT DISTORTS THE IMAGE OF WOMEN; PROMOTE CURRICULUM THAT REPRESENTS WOMEN AS EQUAL PARTNERS TO MEN; ACTIVATE THE ROLE OF WOMEN'S UNIONS AND ENCOURAGE COORDINATION; AND ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S CADRES. ¶4. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE UAE WORKFORCE AND IN MAJOR PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE YEARS. SHAYKHA FATIMA TOLD THE SYMPOSIUM THAT UAE WOMEN COMPRISE 59 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL LABOR FORCE. FEMALE CADRES ALSO OCCUPY MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, AND WOMEN HOLD 60 PERCENT OF THE TECHNICAL POSITIONS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, PHARMACY AND NURSING. UAE WOMEN ALSO FILL 35.4 PERCENT OF THE VACANCIES AT THE MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND 29 PERCENT OF THE DIPLOMATIC POSTS AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ¶5. THE ISSUE OF UAE WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL LIFE AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE UAE PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN DEBATED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASING CALLS FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS AS QUALIFIED WOMEN HAVE BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL ARENAS, BACKED UP BY THE STRONG SUPPORT OF SHAYKHA FATIMA. WAHBA