As the UAE celebrates its 54th National Day, I find myself reflecting not only on our nation’s remarkable transformation, but on the personal journey that shaped my commitment to serve it. I was born and raised in Dubai, in a home where being an Emirati woman was a source of strength, pride and responsibility. From an early age, I understood that our country does not place ceilings above us; it builds runways beneath us.
My path began in the private sector, where I spent more than a decade learning the discipline, pace and innovation that define the UAE’s economic story. Those years taught me how ambition must be matched with hard work, how leadership is earned through consistency and how service to the nation can take many forms. That understanding deepened when I joined the first cohort of the UAE’s voluntary national service, an experience that shaped my resilience, sharpened my duty and reminded me that love for one’s country is not spoken, but lived.
Today, in the Federal National Council and as Chair of the UAE–EU Parliamentary Friendship Committee, I carry these experiences with me into every conversation, whether with ministers, parliamentarians or international partners. My mission is simple: to represent the UAE with clarity, confidence and conviction; to build bridges that advance our national interests; and to demonstrate through action that Emirati women are ready to shoulder responsibility at the highest levels of diplomacy and statecraft.
The UAE’s leadership has long recognised the power of women in building a strong, future-ready nation. Women hold half the seats in our federal legislature, lead key sectors and shape decisions that influence every dimension of national progress. Emirati women make up the majority of university graduates. They are innovators, diplomats, scientists, entrepreneurs and officers. We are not waiting at the door. We are already inside the room – contributing, influencing and delivering.
In my work engaging in parliamentary diplomacy, this reality is felt immediately. I know I carry more than my own credentials; I represent a country that believes in its daughters, invests in them, mentors them and expects them to lead. That belief is a responsibility I carry with pride.
But representation is not enough. Our role now is to widen the path – to mentor young women and encourage more of them to enter sectors where our presence is still emerging – advanced technology, high diplomacy and peacebuilding – and to champion a mindset that sees women not as participants, but as partners in shaping the next generation of national achievement.
To every young Emirati girl reading this, your dreams are not too big for this country. The UAE sees you, supports you and needs your voice. Step forward with confidence, with courage and with the knowledge that your nation stands behind you.
Let us dream boldly. Let us serve with purpose. And let us continue building a UAE worthy of the generations to come.
Happy National Day.
