The UAE leads the Middle East in encouraging women into private-sector management but still lags behind most developed economies.
Participation at board level, especially in business and financial services, is particularly low, with women holding just 1.5 per cent of seats across the board. The situation for Emirati women is worse still. Emirati women make up 66 per cent of the public-sector workforce but just 4 per cent of the privatesector at any level.
Changing this imbalance is key to achieving equality and to meeting the government's Emiratisation targets. It is not right that 50 per cent of the population is absent from the top tier of business, or that 50 per cent of Emiratis are lacking from the private sector. Moreover, it is widely recognised that increased female representation, especially at board level, leads to greater financial success.
The UAE should be in a good position to address this.
To start, the World Economic Forum ranks this nation first out of 14 Arab countries in gender diversity. This is partly thanks to an excellent education system, where 77 per cent of women go to university.
Second, the Government has made a commitment to get Emirati women into work, and they now fill about two thirds of government jobs. But the story in the private sector is very different, and especially in industries such as commerce and financial services.
It will not change without action. A survey last year by the Emirates Foundation showed that only 3.4 per cent of female graduates found banking an attractive career.
There are many reasons for the imbalance. Expatriate families have often moved to follow the man's career, with good salaries making secondary income unnecessary. The pressures of childcare and lack of family support networks also make it harder for the woman to work.
For Emirati women, the reasons may differ. Many marry soon after graduation and may then feel that they want to make a home instead of a career. Even if they do choose to work, they are more likely to work for the Government, where pay is higher, hours are shorter and there is greater job security.
In any case, by graduation the choice has often been made. Historically, there has been a well-paid, flexible job in the public sector waiting for Emirati graduates. This means there is little incentive to study subjects such as business or finance and less still to take postgraduate courses or get postgraduate qualifications in these areas.
However, this is likely to change, and increasingly Emiratis will need to look to the private sector for jobs.
And to get jobs in positions of leadership, they will need to have the right qualifications. For business and finance, this typically means having internationally recognised professional qualifications. Institutions, the Government and business all need to work together to raise awareness of these career options for young women at school level and then again in the universities.
Entering the workplace is one thing. Staying and flourishing is quite another. It is notable that there is a lack of women in senior roles, and again there is no single reason.
Partly it can be down to the "career break" problem - having taken a break to raise a family, women can find it difficult to return to work and may have missed the vital "promotion years" that their male colleagues have used to develop successful careers.
This is especially true in financial services, which is why many organisations have set up networking schemes for female professionals. Women can also sometimes find the corporate world has moved on or adopted new practices, which is why programmes aimed at helping women to develop new skills are also a great way to help them back into the workplace.
The second major problem is the lack of mentors. A shortage of women at the top means there are few role models for younger professionals. Mentoring schemes are a good way to address this deficiency, and they offer additional opportunities for networking, peer learning and training for management.
Yet another reason for the "glass ceiling" could be a cultural perception harming promotion chances. When women are competing with men for senior roles, expatriate businesses may imagine a woman will struggle to command respect because of perceptions about the Middle East.
Altering this will take time, but the more high-profile women who are seen in leadership positions here, the faster that change will come.
This is where the Government has a role. Strong public support from the Government for bodies such as the Abu Dhabi Business Women Council and the Dubai Women's College has shown that women are not culturally inferior in the Emirates.
The UAE has reason to be proud of its record regarding women's rights, but there is more to be done. The three keys to getting more women, and especially more Emirati women, into business and finance are awareness, education and experience. This means that input is needed from all parties:the Government, business and educational institutions. By working together the UAE can ensure that the talent of 50 per cent of the population does not remain untapped.
Amanda Line is the Middle East regional director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
