Women make up two-thirds of government workforce in UAE

Dr Zubaida Jasim Mohammed, from the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Interior, says 66 per cent of the government workforce is made up of women.

Women make up 66 per cent of government workers in the UAE, with a third of them in senior positions, the Ministry of Interior says.

Dr Zubaida Mohammed, from the ministry’s human rights department, said female university graduates represented 70 per cent of the total number of graduates in the UAE – among the highest worldwide.

Dr Mohammed told the second Regional Conference of Women Police about the UAE’s efforts in human rights, saying the nation was committed to international regulations.

She said the UAE had approved a support-service workers law and was planning more measures to protect expatriates.

The UAE is particularly keen to protect children in accordance with international standards, noting that country has joined Virtual Global Taskforce to fight online child abuse, Dr Mohammed said.

On women’s rights, she noted that the UAE is the first country in the Arab world to require that women be on company boards of directors.

It is also a member of the executive board of UN Women. Women have also gained access to the judiciary system and diplomatic corps.

Dr Mohammed said significant changes were made between 2008 and last year, which saw more women in the Cabinet and taking seven of 40 seats on the Federal National Council.