Women in Business

SOCIETY

OF EQUALS

UAE: A model for women’s rights in the Middle East.

Numbers suggest the United Arab Emirates is at the forefront when it comes to opportunities for women, gender equality and equal pay.

The UAE is ranked as a leading country in gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2021 Gender Gap Report. This achievement comes from the fundamental belief that women and men are equal partners in society.

Demonstrating the UAE’s progress in women’s inclusion, justice and security, the UAE is ranked 24th among 170 countries and the highest regionally in the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security’s 2021 WPS Index.

The Constitution of the UAE guarantees equal rights for both men and women. Under the Constitution, women enjoy the same legal status, claim to titles, access to education, the right to practice professions, and the right to inherit property as men. Women are also guaranteed the same access to employment, health and family welfare facilities. As a leader of equality in economics, government, education and health, the UAE has been named one of the region’s pioneers.

The UAE is taking keen interest in space science, information and communication technology, life sciences, and nuclear technology – typically male-dominated areas with just 10% of tech CEOs being female globally. However, the UAE bucks this trend, with 35% of tech entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) now women - three and a half times more representation for women in this area.

Women’s participation is equally strong in the public sector, with women holding twothirds of public sector jobs in the UAE - 30% in leadership roles and 15% in technical and academic roles.

• 77% of Emirati women enrol in higher education after secondary school and make up 70% of all university graduates in the UAE.

• 56%ofUAEgovernmentuniversitygraduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are women.

• InSeptember2014,theUAEopenedthe region’sfirstmilitarycollegeforwomen,

Khawla bint Al Azwar Military School. The state-of-the-artmilitarycollegeprovides world-classtraining,physicalfitness sessionsandleadershipdevelopment.The

UAEhasfourwomenfighterpilotsandhas alsotrainedover30womentoworkwiththe country’s special security forces.

• The UAE had the highest number of women on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful

Arab Businesswomen in 2020, with 23

Emirati women on the list.

• Women business-owners account for 10% of the entire private sector in the UAE.

• 23,000 Emirati businesswomen run projects worthoverAED50billion,andoccupy15% of the positions in the boards of chambers of commerce and industry nationwide.

Flying High From filmmakers to fighter pilots, women continue to push boundaries, and even the sky is no limit to their ambitions.

Amna Al Qubaisi was the first Emirati female racing driver, beginning her karting career at fourteen. She was the first female Arab to participate in the Rotax Max Challenge (RMC) World Finals. Two years later, she began competing internationally, claiming top 10 finishes. Amna was the first Arab woman to win the UAE RMC Championship.

There are women pilots and then there’s Salma Al Baloushi, the Amelia Earhart of the Emirates. The first Emirati woman aviator to rise to the rank of First Officer at Etihad Airways, she found fame beyond her native shores at the tender age of 24, making it to the 100 Greatest Women in Aviation. “I aim to uphold my country’s name up in the sky,” she says modestly. The Al Ain native joined Etihad Airways in 2007 studying the basics of flying, navigation and various associated technical subjects. After more than two years of training, she received her wings in 2009 and was promoted to Second Officer.

But Salma’s journey did not end here. She completed further ground school technical and aircraft systems training, spent time in Etihad’s A320 full-flight simulator and trained in the development of nontechnical skills applicable to working in a multi-crew environment. Finally, in 2012, she completed her final checks and was qualified as Etihad’s first Emirati female A320 co-pilot, graduating to the rank of First Officer alongside nine male colleagues.

Like most women, Al Baloushi has learnt to juggle career and home life and she acknowledges that her husband’s involvement in caring for their two children has helped her devote time to work. “People felt I would have to choose between my career and family. But I love both, and it is support at home, from my husband, my family and from my batch mates that have helped me focus on my job.”

Now she is aiming higher. “I’m thinking about enriching my knowledge of the aviation industry by studying for a degree in aviation, and this would help me greatly in the future,” she says. She also wants to be a role model for her contemporaries: “I want to see myself as a very successful pilot in Etihad Airways and in so doing, to set an example for upcoming generations to aim high and become active members of the community.”

From one ‘high flying’ career to another, Mariam Al Mansouri, also listed as one of the 100 Greatest Women in Aviation, has one of the most challenging jobs in the world. Mariam was one of the first women to join the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) academy, graduating in

Mariam Al Mansouri Salma Al Baloushi

2007. She is now a fighter pilot flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Al Mansouri received the Mohammed bin Rashid Pride of the Emirates medal for excellence in her field.

Only 65 women worldwide have been in space, and 27-year-old Nora Al Matrooshi, the first female Arab astronaut, is on the path to being the 66th. As the UAE takes a giant leap forward with its space program sending astronauts to International Space Station, women are not left behind on this journey. In April 2021, UAE selected Nora as its first female astronaut. She is training with the NASA Astronaut Group 23 as an international mission specialist.

Al-Matroushi is not the only woman reaching for the stars. According to the Emirates Ministry of State for Advanced Sciences, women make up 80% of the science team behind the current Mars mission.

The United Arab Emirates is fast becoming one of the most innovative and futuristic cities globally, with both the local Emiratis and foreign ex-pats moving to Dubai for entrepreneurship opportunities.

The Green Touch Ambition is a defining feature of the UAE, and its Net Zero by 2050 strategy is the latest case in point. This message resonates with Adrienne Doolan, founder of Green Touches, a sustainable services and clean technology company in Dubai. “Say hello to Eco,” says Adrienne and say goodbye to chemicals and toxins.

Adrienne Doolan, Owner/Founder of Green Touches, has been in the UAE for 13 years, and she is passionate about sustainability. When sorting out her waste in 2015, Adrienne realised that there was a better way to do things, and an idea was born.

Adrienne founded Green Touches in 2015 to promote an environmentally friendly society and achieve this using modern, clean technologies and innovative solutions. She aligned her business strategy with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals with a bottom line of people, planet, and profit.

“The UAE offers interaction and knowledge sharing between Government and private sectors for those willing to get involved, and now especially, while working in the field of sustainability there is much to be done together,” she explains.

Green Touches supply commercial and residential cleaning in line with their Sustainable Green Cleaning Programme. Their Aqueous Ozone O3 clean technology is a cleaning product that eliminates traditional cleaning chemicals while saving water and energy. “I like to think that we are an A to Z for your sustainable business journey as we supply from clean technology to toilet tissue, made from recycled pulp in the UAE,” she adds.

Green Touches promote 21st-century cleaning for a more effective and healthier clean. They encourage recycling programmes and food waste solutions such as Bokashi for residential and WasteMaster food composter for large commercial operations. “We offer tailormade sustainability reporting and implementation to reduce our carbon footprint and help clients to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions in line with the objective of the UAE,” she says.

Adrienne is involved in many sustainability committees and Boards, such as the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainability Action Society from the Capital Club in Dubai. She participates in panel discussions on her sustainability journey and food waste solutions to encourage others to join in.

A proud moment for Adrienne was his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visiting The Sustainable City where Adrianne lives and works.

“I was honoured to meet with HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and to share our CleanCore Technologies, LLC, Aqueous Ozone with him,” she says. This initiative provides Aqueous Ozone, a powerful non-toxic cleaner used by residents & businesses in the city to protect health and the environment. It will significantly reduce the UAE’s carbon footprint, something in vision with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s mission “to provide people with the best quality of life and ensure community happiness”.

Adrienne Doolan

Amanda Gavin

A Passion for People Dubliner Amanda Gavin is a PR and marketing consultant based in the UAE. Having moved to Dubai with her husband, Amanda immediately set about re-established her PR consultancy AGM Consulting there, gaining new clients, working for the Irish Business Network and writing for the Arab Irish Journal.

A graduate of the National College of Ireland and a leading marketing and public relations professional for over 20 years, Amanda is dedicated to helping others succeed. A champion for women in business and a successful entrepreneur, Amanda throws herself enthusiastically into the business networking communities of Dublin and Dubai and she is hugely positive about opportunities for women in the UAE.

“People want to do business. In Dubai, they like to work with people who follow through. People are very respectful of women in business here and take on board what I say.”

In 2021, the UAE Security and Commodities Authority mandated that listed companies must have at least one woman on their board of directors.

THE WADI TRIBE’S WINNING FORMULA!

As founder of edutainment company The Wadi Tribe, Saniya Chughtai is on a mission to educate and amuse children through entertainment with an eye also to improving their wellbeing and mental health.

Pakistani/Irish and based in Dubai, the public face of TWT heads a team of passionate professionals who want to transform emotional intelligence all around the globe by engaging children through Augmented Reality.

“Our business model is to introduce programmes into the schools, which are based on the CASEL competencies and Harvard’s social and emotional learning skill sets,” Chughtai enthuses.

“We are determined to arm young kids with emotional intelligence tools, to live a happier and more fulfilling life.”

To the initiated and uninitiated alike, TWT clearly has the material to be a global success story with fun and diverse characters energizing books, stuffed toys and other merchandise – all of which serve to strengthen the message of emotional intelligence.

TWT’s modus operandi of bridging cultural, mental well-being and educational gaps via fun and entertainment is a proven winner; making education more interesting and fun by leveraging technologies such as augmented reality and delivered through a SAAS model.

“We have seen a massive increase in demand for online wellbeing programs, which we cater for on different platforms,” TWT’s Dubai-based founder explains.

“The reason we have chosen to focus on primary kids is because you affect that child for their entire life. When you teach emotional intelligence to a child, he or she carries those lessons as a teenager, young adult, young professional, parent and then grandparent.”

TWT’s primary target market is all children up to 12 years old; an age group which is considered to have the greatest influence over their parent’s decision-making and be most excited about the brand.

Other secondary markets are those parents looking for an entertainment brand which educates their kids through entertainment.

Like all successful businesses, the thinktank at TWT places great emphasis on investing in R&D. In that regard, the company has, over the past five years, picked the brains of a team of academics, teachers and designers to meticulously construct the narrative behind each product with its social and emotional learning narrative being based on CASEL’s five competencies and Harvard’s 12 suggested skill sets.

So what of TWT’s products? “We are very proud of them,” Chughtai declares. “They are designed with diverse, unique multilingual and multicultural characters.

Founder of edutainment company The Wadi Tribe, Saniya Chughtai

“TWT has 28 characters in total, each having an emotional value attached to them and all the products are relatable and fun for our young audience.

“Our most popular character is Tach the Hurler. He is a wee little turtle who loves to play the ancient games of hurling. We are delighted to share the exciting news that Tach’s story is going to have augmented reality! Not only are the stories interactive but they are a great fun way to teach kids emotional intelligence.”

With plans afoot to further collaborate with banks, retailers and the F&B sector, the team at TWT don’t intend to rest on their laurels. Indeed, character collaborations such as with Tach, are likely to transcend their original brand purposes and become iconic.

“We see our characters evolving from marketing tools into proper pop culture while all the while deepening brand affinity to the point that customers even become nostalgic for them years later.

“Through our unique storylines, we want to create consumer loyalty and long-term relationships but, most of all, we want to educate children in a fun way and we want them to be able to deal with life emotions,” concludes the Serial Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Children’s Author, Interior Architect and International Designer.

www.thewaditribe.com info@thewaditribe.com

TWT

TWT mechandise is available globally from www.thewaditribe.com and also the Duty-Free shop in The Irish Village, Al Garhoud. Scan our QR code for more details.

IN THE PINK

At 3pm on Saturday 1 November 1884, a group of Irishmen gathered in the billiards room of Hayes Hotel in County Tipperary to establish an organization that would foster and preserve Ireland’s unique games and athletic pastimes. Ireland’s most successful amateur sporting and social organization was born, and it beats to this day in the heart of communities in Ireland and worldwide.

Gaelic Games in the Middle East have been a key feature of the lives of communities across the Gulf Region for the past 30 years. Traditionally affiliated as part of the Asia and Gulf Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Board, the Middle East GAA in 2013 became an autonomous, new regional county board.

Football, cricket and other professional sports may have their stamp of popularity across the world, but Gaelic Games are a fundamental expression of Irish identity and ‘Gaelic’ is thriving in the Middle East.

“It is good to see out here, it keeps us connected, and it is good for Irish people to connect, to have a bit of craic,” says Chairperson Stephen Twomey. Middle East GAA has over 85 competitive teams in the region, accounting for over 1,000 directly affiliated members and more than 3,000 associate members. The Board coordinates and facilitates competitive league, championship and test-match competitions in men’s Gaelic football and hurling, ladies Gaelic football and camogie and a thriving Juvenile programme.

A willingness to assist and aid people remains an integral part of the Middle East GAA. “That is why the GAA is the heartbeat of the community,” Twomey adds.

October 2021 marked a significant month for the Middle East GAA as they remembered players who have been sadly affected by Breast Cancer. The Middle East County Board turned its jersey pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Ireland and to raise awareness across the region. The jerseys were a massive success, with over 600 being purchased by clubs across the Middle East. A total of €13,350 was raised, and a cheque was presented to Adele Reilly from Breast Cancer Ireland in December 2021 by Clodagh Harris, Ladies Officer and Stephen Twomey, Chairperson.

“We would like to extend a massive thank you to Gaelic Armour for all their help and support in manufacturing the jersey and everyone across the region who purchased a jersey to raise money for such a worthy cause,” Clodagh Harris, Ladies Officer, Middle East GAA.