Human development is difficult without furthering the rights of women, but in many places in the world they still face fewer opportunities on the job market, gender discrimination, social restrictions or restrictions imposed by family and weak participation in political life. Jaime Puebla / The National 
Human development is difficult without furthering the rights of women, but in many places in the world they still face fewer opportunities on the job market, gender discrimination, social restrictionsShow more

UAE ranks highest for gender equality in GCC, says Human Development Report



The UAE has ranked the highest for gender equality in the GCC, with a growing female workforce and more women continuing higher education than men.

The Human Development Report 2018, compiled by United Arab Emirates University in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme, is the first of its kind since 1997, although more localised reports have been produced.

It uses factors such as its labour force and education as indicators of a country’s development and the standard of living for its citizens and residents, as opposed to the more typical gross domestic product.

The report highlights that this development is difficult without furthering the rights of women, but in many places in the world they still face fewer opportunities on the job market, gender discrimination, social restrictions or restrictions imposed by family and weak participation in political life.

The average woman in the UAE workplace was found to be better educated than the average man, with 43 per cent of working women holding a bachelor’s degree compared to 23 per cent of men.

More women had also completed post-secondary school education.

This is seen by the report authors as a positive indicator for the future of gender equality and human development in the country.

The UAE’s launch of a Gender Balance Council in 2017 played a significant role in furthering the role of Emirati women in society, but there had already been a significant improvement in female participation over the course of the country’s history.

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More from UAE Human Development Report:

More working women but unemployment rate among Emiratis has risen since 1975, report reveals

UAE schools should encourage 'creation and innovation' over curriculums 

Life in the UAE among the best in the world, according to the latest human development report

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In 1975, around 1,000 of Emirati women were participating in the labour market, but in 2015 that number had increased to 135,000 — an increase of 135 times in forty years. In comparison, Emirati men have seen a five-fold increase from 44,000 to 207,000.

And from non-citizens, female participation has increased 88 times, from 10,000 to 882,000. The number of men employed has grown in that time from 284,000 to more than 5.5 million — a 20 times increase.

They were also found to be older than the average man, with the largest group of women being in the 30 to 34 age group compared to the largest for men being 25 to 29.

Improvements in female employment means the number of men for every woman in the labour market has decreased from 29 to six, and in citizens that ratio has decreased from more than 40 to 1.5. But for every woman in a technical or vocational job, there are still four men.

With women representing half of human capital, encouraging their participation in the workplace will also grow the size of the national economy meaning it has positive implications for the country as a whole.

The report measures the reduction of inequality via the Gender Inequality Index, which, as well as female participation in the labour market, looks at reproductive health (maternal mortality rates and adolescent fertility rate) and empowerment (female participation in parliament and education).

With zero meaning full equality and one representing the highest possible level of inequality, the UAE scored 0.232, a significant drop over the past ten years, ranking it 46 out of 188 countries and the highest in the GCC, followed by Bahrain at 48 and Saudi Arabia at 50.

The UAE scored highly in reproductive health, with a maternal mortality rate roughly equal with developed countries like Norway, and women’s representation in the workplace is among the highest in the Gulf.

The report said: “The UAE attained remarkable achievement and progress in the empowerment of Emirati women, narrowing the gender inequality gap compared to its regional and global scale … with a great development in women’s education at rates that exceeded those of men. The ratio of woman’s representation in labour market is still below aspirations, especially in the field of vocational and technical jobs, as well as the legislative and higher administration positions.”

Women’s presence in legislative and administration positions is important, said the report, to help further women’s visibility in politics and give them a voice with regards to the economy and financial decisions: however, the UAE had one woman to every man in these positions, ranking fourth in the GCC.

According to the report, the UAE is ranked 67 in the world and 1 in the Gulf for overall female political empowerment.

The UAE, which has seen huge developmental change in the last few decades, seeks to achieve further development in accordance with its 2021 vision.

Race card for Super Saturday

4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.

4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.

7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.

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New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15

New Zealand 15
Tries: Laumape, J Barrett
Conversions: B Barrett
Penalties: B Barrett

British & Irish Lions 15
Penalties: Farrell (4), Daly

MATCH INFO

Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)

Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14

Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)

Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31

Bangla Tigers win by six wickets

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar

2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

A meeting of young minds

The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:

435 – UAE

2,000 – China

808 – United Kingdom

165 – Argentina

38 – Lebanon

16 – Saudi Arabia

16 – Bangladesh

6 – Ireland

3 – Egypt

3 – France

2 – Sudan

1 – Kuwait

1 – Australia
 

ACL Elite (West) - fixtures

Monday, Sept 30

Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)

Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)

Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes

WEST ASIA RUGBY 2017/18 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR

Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain

Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons

West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

The%20specs
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What should do investors do now?

What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor? 

Should I be euphoric?

No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.

So what happened?

It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.

"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."

Should I buy? Should I sell?

Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.

"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.

All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.

Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.

Will the rally last?

No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.

"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
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Your rights as an employee

The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.

The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.

If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.

Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.

The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

2019 Asian Cup final

Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

UAE players with central contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SERIES INFO

Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16

UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura

The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin

Director: Shawn Levy

Rating: 3/5

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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