UAE will drive to get more women in top diplomatic and justice jobs

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid says there will also be a drive to recruit more senior women in society across the board

The UAE will work to get more women into top jobs in the judiciary, diplomatic service and the labour market overall to bring further equality to the workplace, the Prime Minister said on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, also Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out plans to boost the number of women in key positions.

He also said the country will provide more specialist medical and psychological services for women as well as long-term care for the elderly in their own homes.

"We will seek during the next period to increase the woman’s representation rate in the judiciary and diplomatic corps, the workforce and international organisations," he wrote on Twitter.

نسعى خلال الفترة القادمة لرفع نسبة تمثيل المرأة في السلك القضائي والسلك الدبلوماسي وسوق العمل وفِي المنظمات الدولية ... كما نسعى أيضا لتقديم خدمات صحية ونفسية تخصصية تدعم دور المرأة كأم ومربية أجيال وشريكة للرجل في مسيرة التنمية pic.twitter.com/6RQQNtmwyO

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) December 4, 2018

"And we also seek to provide specialised health and psychological services that support the role of women as mother, generations’ educator and the man’s partner in the development process."

Sheikh Mohammed chaired a Cabinet meeting in which ministers set out plans for a "new package of national legislation, policies and incentives for women".

He was speaking after the Cabinet met at the General Women's Union in Abu Dhabi, in keeping with ministers' practise of touring the country.

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Sheikh Mohammed also reiterated that women as a "crucial element" in the workplace and society's development.

The Cabinet also ordered a study of gender equality in co-operation with the International Monetary Fund to ensure global standards are being adhered to.

They also set out measures to improve Emirati women's participation in advanced sciences and to provide mandatory prenatal and postnatal health services for women.

Health services will also encompass the elderly women, including those with special needs, providing home nursing services.

At present, a third of the Cabinet are women and there are a growing number of women ambassadors - seven at present, plus almost 40 per cent of Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff are female.

There were also 11 women judges in Abu Dhabi as of last year and there are several in Dubai's courts.

Two-thirds of university graduates are women, but there are about a third more men in the workforce than women.

According to the official UAE Human Development Report, released in June, there were about 135,000 Emirati women in the workplace in 2015 compared to about 207,000 men.