Emirati Women Lead UAE Progress in Economy, Science and Global Leadership in 2025
Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: WAM
ABU DHABI: Emirati women made strong progress in 2025, showing major success in the economy, science, and global leadership. The UAE continued to stand out as a world leader in women empowerment through new national plans and top international roles given to Emirati women.
One of the most important steps this year was the launch of the “Mother of the Nation’s 50:50 Vision.” This long-term plan runs until 2075 and aims to improve quality of life, increase women’s roles in future technology, and raise the number of women leaders in both government and private sectors.
To help reach these goals, the UAE Cabinet reshaped the UAE Gender Balance Council and improved laws that support equal chances for women. These efforts helped the UAE rank 13th worldwide and first in the region in the 2025 UNDP Gender Equality Index.
Women’s role in the economy also grew strongly in 2025. The General Women’s Union launched several first-of-its-kind projects. One major step was the world’s first official job programme for Productive Families. This programme offers monthly pay, work benefits, and social security support.
The General Women’s Union also helped Emirati women reach global markets. It opened the first Emirati women entrepreneurs council in China and launched the “We Grow for Sustainability” project. This project plans to train 3,500 women and support 140 women-led farming projects over the next five years.
In science and technology, the UAE worked to close the gap between men and women. Special programmes like “AI-Forward” trained more than 100 women in cloud computing and data analysis.
A report by Heriot-Watt University showed that the UAE has the highest number of women on company boards in the GCC, reaching 14.8 percent. This is a 37 percent rise from last year. Today, women make up 50 percent of the Federal National Council, 70 percent of university graduates, 56 percent of STEM graduates, and over half of the workers in the UAE space sector. Women also form 80 percent of the science team behind the Hope Probe mission.
On the global stage, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais was elected Secretary-General of UN Tourism for the 2026 to 2029 term. She became the first woman to hold this role in the organisation’s 50-year history.
The World Economic Forum also selected Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Meera Sultan Al Suwaidi, and Tuka Waddah Alhanai as members of the Young Global Leaders Council for 2025.
Environmental leadership remained strong as Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak was re-elected as President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature for a second term. Other Emirati women also took senior roles in global health, medicine, and interfaith organisations, further highlighting the UAE’s growing role in global leadership.
