Three men win Dubai government ‘gender balance’ awards

A Dubai government award recognizing successes in gender balance was awarded to three men, including two government officials and one military official.

{mosads}The government has held the annual Gender Balance Index awards in recent years to recognize “the [United Arab Emirates] government’s significant progress in achieving gender balance,” according to a release.

The awards went to the “Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance,” the “Best Initiative Supporting Gender Balance” and the “Best Federal Authority Supporting Gender Balance.”

The government tweeted photos of the three male award-winners receiving their golden trophies from Sheikh Mohammed.

. @HHShkMohd honors the winners of the Gender Balance Index 2018. The Index features three categories: Best Personality for Supporting Gender Balance, Best Federal Entity for Supporting Gender Balance, and the Best Initiative for Supporting Gender Balance. #UAE pic.twitter.com/qE5GkYHzTo

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 27, 2019

The “personality” award went to the deputy prime minister and minister of interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The UAE Ministry of Finance received the best “federal authority” award and was accepted by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and finance minister.

The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority was granted the “best initiative” award for a “remote employment” effort that has increased employment opportunities for women in areas away from their employers, according to the release. 

The 29 ministers in the UAE government include eight women, and the Federal National Council currently has eight women members out of 40 seats. UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed that 50 percent of the seats must be occupied by women.

In a press release, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum expressed appreciation for the efforts of one woman, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the president of the UAE Gender Balance Council, though she was not a recipient of an award.

Despite the lack of female winners in the gender balance awards, the UAE ranks highly among other nations in the region on gender equality. Business Insider, citing UN data, reported that the UAE has a Gender Development Index of 0.97, placing it at 34th in the world.