War in Gaza and global poverty among greatest challenges to women, UAE minister tells UN

Noura Al Kaabi led the national delegation at a meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

Minister of State Noura Al Kaabi emphasised the need to protect Palestinian women and girls in Gaza. AFP

The war in Gaza and global poverty are among the major challenges to gender equality and women’s empowerment, Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of State, told a session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Delivering the UAE’s national statement in the commission’s debate, Ms Al Kaabi emphasised the need to protect Palestinian women and girls, Wam reported.

She stressed the need to strengthen and develop national institutions, social protection systems and public services to ensure that women and girls have access to quality education and put them at the forefront of efforts to finance climate action.

“With projections that by 2030, 575 million people will still live in extreme poverty, we are finding ourselves in a race against time to achieve sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda,” said Ms Al Kaabi.

“We know all too well the detrimental impact this has had on the progress gained globally for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.”

“Today’s frameworks to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment ring hollow in the face of the war on Gaza, which is killing Palestinian women and girls. Our commitment to the promotion and protection of women and girls worldwide must extend to them, too.”

The priority theme for the commission is “accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.

The UAE’s delegation to the 68th meeting of the commission was led by Ms Al Kaabi and included Mona Al Marri – vice president of the Gender Balance Council, Hanan Ahli – managing director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, and representatives from the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wam reported on Saturday.

Ms Al Kaabi also participated in a ministerial meeting on mobilising financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, specifically policies and strategies to end their poverty.

She highlighted that the UAE supported the launch of the joint UN Women and International Trade Centre’s Global Campaign on Gender-Responsive Public Procurement, which aims to reduce barriers for women entrepreneurs competing for public tenders, Wam reported.

The UAE also co-hosted a high-level panel discussion on reframing security from the perspective of women and girls living under the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This week the UAE was ranked seventh on a global list for efforts to promote gender equality.

The nation also took the top spot in the region in the Gender Equality Index, which is part of a UN human development report.