Women made up 60 per cent of graduates from Emirates Diplomatic Academy last year
Women made up 60 per cent of graduates from Emirates Diplomatic Academy last year
Women made up 60 per cent of graduates from Emirates Diplomatic Academy last year
Women made up 60 per cent of graduates from Emirates Diplomatic Academy last year

More women in diplomatic corps will benefit everyone


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The "old boys' network" is pervasive and insidious – but it is still very real, even if it has diminished in power, thanks to the rise of women in senior positions and the momentum of those championing women in the workplace. At this week's Diplocon conference in Abu Dhabi, a two-day event aimed at raising the standards of international diplomacy, organisers from the Emirates Diplomatic Academy revealed that less than one-fifth of ambassadorial posts in G20 countries are held by women. Of the 435 female diplomats in those nations, only Australia, Canada and the US had women in at least one-third of diplomatic postings.

In the UAE, there are currently seven female ambassadors, including Lana Nusseibeh, the president of UN Women and the UAE's permanent representative to the UN, as well as nine female ministers, equivalent to nearly one-third of the Cabinet. The UAE Gender Balance Council was set up by the government in 2015 to ensure Emirati women played a leading role in the nation's development. There is, of course, more to be done. While the UAE fares well globally for wage equality, education and literacy, there is a problem worldwide with female diplomats progressing beyond a certain stage in their careers. Inflexible working arrangements and a lack of inclusivity have hampered women's chances of reaching the upper echelons. And while many more women are now signing up to the diplomatic corps, they are often not promoted above a junior or middle-ranking level. The old-fashioned view has been that women were not deemed to be suitable for unsafe postings and there was the added perception that male ambassadors often came with spouses, who could volunteer their services for free.

That has changed somewhat since female ambassadors first appeared in the early 20th century – but conservative, regressive views still persist in too many circles. There is no reason why they should. In Ethiopia, progressive prime minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed women to half his cabinet's posts. In Australia, the department of foreign affairs and trade has launched a women in leadership programme, which aims for greater equality and a more inclusive work culture. The UAE's new Women in Diplomacy Network will be a global platform offering support in a male-dominated field. These are small steps but they will effect huge change and benefit all of society – men and women alike.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE squad

Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)

While you're here
Fixtures and results:

Wed, Aug 29:

  • Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
  • Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
  • UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs

Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman

Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal

Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore

Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu, Sep 6: Final

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20PRO%20(12.9%22%2C%202022)
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Company profile

Name: Oulo.com

Founder: Kamal Nazha

Based: Dubai

Founded: 2020

Number of employees: 5

Sector: Technology

Funding: $450,000

Expert advice

“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”

Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles

“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”

Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre 

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”

Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
 

UAE%20Warriors%2045%20Results
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