His Excellency AbdulRahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Minister of State for Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs, asserted that the UAE continues to consolidate its competitiveness and leadership on a global scale, led by the foresight of its wise leadership as it moves forward to accomplish the country’s vision for its centennial anniversary.

H.E. Al Owais revealed that the UAE ranked first in the world on the Female Parliamentary Representation Index of the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020. This ranking underlines women’s place at the fore in Emirati society, which is the fruit of a continuous, long-term effort to empower women across all sectors, H.E. said, stressing that this empowerment allowed women to take their place as an effective partner in the UAE’s development.

“This achievement is an international recognition and celebration of the decision issued by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to grant women half of all seats in the Federal National Council,” H.E. noted. “The decision was a historic milestone that the UAE succeeded in accomplishing ahead of many countries around the world. It reiterates the fact that Emirati women have what it takes to be part of the decision-making process, and have a lot to add to the debate around the issues that matter most to UAE citizens, as well as any laws or legislation to be issued in the future.”

“The National Elections Committee set procedures to regulate the operations of the committee’s secretariat, represented by the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA). The objective was to ensure the full implementation of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa’s decision in the FNC Elections of 2019, which witnessed a great turnout from women, where 180 of them ran for seats in the Council, accounting for more than 36% of all candidates,” H.E. Al Owais continued, revealing that seven female candidates won seats in the FNC through the electoral process.

“Emirati women have a long and impressive track record in parliamentary activities in the UAE, heading several permanent and temporary committees, taking part in conferences around the region and the world, and rising to the post of First Deputy Speaker of the Council, before setting a regional precedent when a woman assumed the role of Speaker of the Council for the 16^th Legislative Chapter,” H.E. said.

H.E. Al Owais shed light on Emirati women’s role in serving their country, where they became a voice for the family and the community through their membership in the FNC, playing a major role in developing and discussing laws and legislation that helped enhance the wellbeing of the UAE community.

H.E. applauded the tremendous efforts that went into implementing the UAE leadership’s vision through plans and programmes that eventually propelled the UAE to the first place in 23 indexes in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020. “This, indeed, is an international acknowledgement of the UAE’s progress and a new accomplishment to be added to the country’s record, which began right from its foundation by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,” he said.

“These achievements are an incentive to carry on the hard work with dedication and loyalty,” H.E. Al Owais asserted. “They reflect the immense potential the Emirati people has to achieve international success and rise to the top of global indexes for competitiveness and in every other sector.”

His Excellency Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais

Minister of Health and Prevention, Minister of State for Federal National Council (FNC)