For the first time, under the direction of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, Emirati Women’s Day will be celebrated for a month – which is only fitting for Emirati women who have achieved so much.

The theme for this month, We Emerge Stronger and Better, is equally fitting for women who have proven their resilience time and again, most recently during regional tensions.

But was there ever really any doubt? Emirati women soared even when resources and opportunities were limited. Today, with the opportunities available to them almost limitless, one can only imagine what they will achieve next.

Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri is among those who rose to prominence when resources were scarce. At 22, she was often the only woman heading into Abu Dhabi’s deserts, wetlands and coastlines on scientific expeditions.

At a time when some questioned whether a woman belonged in the field at all, she refused to abandon the work. More than two decades later, she leads the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi and has been instrumental in shaping the UAE’s environmental journey.

This month especially, she is an embodiment of how far Emirati women have come – and how much further they can still go.

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Abu Dhabi scientist shapes environment and changes landscape for women

At the age of 22, Emirati scientist Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri was told that perhaps she should reconsider doing field work.

It was the year 2000 and, at that time, she was often the only woman on expeditions that took her deep into Abu Dhabi’s desert, along its coastline and into wetlands that scientists were only beginning to fully document.

The work meant leaving at sunrise, crossing dunes in all-terrain vehicles and sometimes camping for days in remote areas. But it was not the harsh environment that threatened to stop her.

“The culture was not ready to have a female field scientist,” Dr Al Dhaheri told The National. “There was a lot of talk about the need for women not to be working in the field. I couldn’t accept it. I believed my place was in the field.”

Her solution was to ask for another female scientist to be recruited to accompany her.

“To my mind, I had the support of my family and the support of the leadership, therefore I should continue, because I didn’t see anything wrong with being a female field scientist.”

Did you know?

Emirati Women's Day was established in 2015 by Sheikha Fatima and is celebrated each year on August 28. Read more here

Adnoc Academy launches major drive to develop Emirati women engineers

Emirati women will join Adnoc Technical Academy's training programme for the first time, working at operational sites across the UAE's energy industry.

The first cohort will begin a 24-month diploma programme next month, combining academic study with practical training at Adnoc's operational sites. Each intake will include up to 50 women, with about 250 female technicians expected to graduate between 2028 and 2030.

Sheikha Fatima said the progress of Emirati women reflected their role in the country's development.

“Women are at the heart of society," Sheikha Fatima said. "They nurture families, educate generations, strengthen the national economy, and serve as ministers, ambassadors, business leaders, doctors and engineers. They shape the future of our nation.”

Her remarks were delivered on her behalf by Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State, at Adnoc’s Emirati Women’s Day event at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre, held under the theme Together, We Rise Stronger and Better.

UAE leaders pay tribute to achievements of Emirati women

President Sheikh Mohamed said Emirati women have played a key role in the development of the UAE.

"On Emirati Women's Day, we come together to celebrate the values and achievements of all Emirati women, who represent the pride of our nation and its unwavering resilience," Sheikh Mohamed said on X.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to his own mother in a post on X to mark the occasion.

"On this day, I remember my mother, Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on her," Sheikh Mohammed said. "I remember her compassion and mercy ... and I remember her stances alongside Sheikh Rashid over 40 years ... and I remember her closeness to the poor and her care and support for women."

Emirati women are shaping stories that connect the UAE's heritage with imagination and carry its national voice to the world, said Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, chairwoman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

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