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