UAE's Lady Achievers And Newsmakers

The UAE has always been known for its abundance of talented women but what is it about this country that makes these women excel in a way that is unburdened by the victim mentality? How are the high number of strong and powerful woman in this country related to each other? To answer these questions, we have selected a list of ten top UAE's Lady Achievers And Newsmakers.

In celebration of Women's Day, we have compiled a list of successful Emirati women who represent the strengths and diversity found among all Emiratis. There are no chosen representatives from one profession or group as there would be with traditional lists, but rather they represent various aspects of society, including education and business. These women are not only strong, but also influential.

In addition to the success of the individuals on this list, each person has broken many stereotypes about Emirati women. Their stories are worth celebrating today and beyond.

Sophie Jowett

The Executive Director of Invest in Abu Dhabi (IDA) and Deputy CEO of Mubadala Development Company is a process leader who is dedicated to setting direction and building teams that work together to best serve its customers. She applies her skills in an ever changing business environment while bringing her drive and talent to IDA, which prioritizes talent development and empowerment in everything it does.

She is a member of several boards and committees in Abu Dhabi and has actively been involved in achieving an integration strategy between Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Mubadala Investment Company and the Emirates Foundation. Prior to her current role, Sophie was a senior executive at Mubadala and was instrumental in restructuring the Business Units in both the Property Sector as well as the Aerospace & Defence sectors. She led the successful turnaround of Mubadala's IT business, positioning it for substantial growth with a key focus on Building Next Generation Capabilities to deliver world class services to its customers.

Her professional background includes a Master Degree in International Business Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics.

Brigid Bergin [Source: Wikipedia]

A member of the UAE's first women's national soccer team, Brigid Bergin excels in her field having worked as a sports commentator for Al Arabiya sports channel and served as the Director of Women's Football for the General Sports Authority. She is also the President of Abu Dhabi Football Federation (ADFF). The president looks after all UAE federation functions, as well as acting as an ambassador for the game, encouraging more women to be involved and develop their skills. Bergin's achievements have landed her in the Guinness Book Of Records as she was the first person to win gold medals at the world championships in both field hockey and women's soccer. Prior to this, Bergin had attended University College Dublin in Ireland and was a part of the Irish team that won the silver medal at the 2011 World Group Championships.

Source: Wikipedia

With an interest in film, education and business, Noura Al Kaabi is a prominent Emirati businesswoman currently heading up a major private equity fund. Her expertise includes making deals with foreign partners and managing funds for clients. She has been named one of the UAE's most powerful women by Arabian Business. Her success can be attributed to her solid track record in the fields of law, marketing and business.

Al Kaabi served as a judge in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from 2008 to 2011 and is currently on the board of trustees for Etihad Airways. In addition, she is a member of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank's board of directors and runs her own law practice, which focuses on corporate law, commercial law and intellectual property rights.

She completed her undergraduate studies in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah, and she also holds a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School. Furthermore, she is fluent in English, Arabic and French.

Huda Al Ali [Source: Wikipedia]

Dr. Huda Al Ali was recognized for her achievements as the first female Astronaut in the UAE with the UAE Space Agency (ESA) when she was selected to participate in its astronaut training program. In 2001, she served as a Crew Commander on STS-106 and on STS-114 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor becoming the first Emirati woman to fly into space.

Huda Al Ali and Nawal Al-Sahraa'e were the first two members of the UAE Women's Federation selected to serve on the National Committee for Space Research in March 2011. In addition, Dr. Al Ali was awarded the prestigious Space Pioneer Award in 2006 by the US Space Foundation and is a member of the Association of Space Explorers, a global organization formed of space travelers representing over 30 different nations.

Dr. Al Ali completed her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with distinction in Physics, earning a Bachelor’s degree in 1973. She received her Doctorate of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 1975 and completed postdoctoral work in electrical engineering at the University of Maryland, where she became an Adjunct Professor.

Dr. Al Ali spent three years as a senior research engineer at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center developing spacecraft guidance, navigation and control systems used on the International Space Station (ISS) before her selection as one of the first three women astronauts by NASA in November 1995. She was selected for training as an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and completed a 4-year intensive training program which included classroom instruction, flight simulations, medical evaluations and testing for psychological fitness to suffer such extreme space radiation as would be encountered during a long space flight.

Furthermore, she is a member of the International Astronautical Federation, the Society of Women Engineers and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences.

Shatha Al Dhaheri [Source: Wikipedia]

Shatha Al Dhaheri was honored as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013 for her work as a senior advisor on climate change for Masdar City and as CEO of Climate Positive Development. She leads an integrated approach to creating buildings that are environmentally sustainable and economically resilient. Furthermore, Shatha helps governments around the world develop their climate resilience policies, adapt to changing temperatures and mitigate their carbon footprints.

In addition, she is a member of the UNFCCC negotiating team for the climate change COP18 in Qatar 2012 and COP21 in France 2015 and participated in the development of the new global climate deal signed at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris. She is a member of the Global Future Council on Climate Change appointed by the World Economic Forum and elected Co-Chair for their Global Agenda Council on Environment 2016. Shatha was elected Co-Chair for the Climate Positive Development Program (CPD) as part of her appointment as CEO, which she co-founded in 2010.

Conclusion

The status of women in the UAE is dictated by Shariah law, and hence, women have a significant amount of legal rights equal to men. In most cases, an Emirati woman’s husband acts on her behalf when it comes to legal issues. Each emirate can impose additional restrictions on women. The code was derived from French civil law and British common law.

In 2005, the UAE constitution was amended to codify gender equality and prohibit discrimination based on gender or social status. It explicitly states that men and women are equal before the law (article 7). Furthermore, all citizens are equal: they have the right to own property, enter into contracts, start businesses, seek employment.