In the United Arab Emirates, UN Women Executive Director calls for increasing women’s leadership in global peace and security and climate action

The mission agenda underscored the UAE’s advancement in gender equality and women’s empowerment domestically and regionally, as well as its role in supporting women’s leadership in the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, which promotes efforts to integrate women and their perspectives in peace and security around the world.  With a non-permanent seat on the Security Council through the end of 2023, the UAE is in position to support increasing progress on the Women, Peace and Security agenda worldwide. 

In a conversation with H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak at the outset of the mission, the Executive Director and Her Highness discussed the partnership between UN Women and the United Arab Emirates on global gender equality. They reiterated their commitment to collaborate to increase women’s representation in peace and security globally, emphasizing the importance of the newly launched Global Center of Excellence on Women, Peace and Security in the UAE and its catalytic role in advancing this agenda. Moreover, they agreed to take concrete steps towards implementing the United Arab Emirates National Action Plan to advance Security Council Resolution 1325.  

Following the conversation with H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Executive Director undertook a range of bilateral meetings with key UAE partners. 

During a meeting with His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, Ms. Bahous discussed the importance of women’s empowerment, with a focus on supporting women’s economic empowerment in Africa.  

Strategies for the integration of gender mainstreaming across the diplomatic, political, and economic arenas were the focus of Ms. Bahous’ meeting with Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Senior Diplomatic Advisor to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.  

A meeting with HE Mohamed Al Bawardi, Minister of State for Defense, focused on ways to advance implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, and marked joint commitment to advancing the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace and Security Initiative as well as increasing women’s representation globally in peacekeeping and in the military. 

In a meeting with H.E. Reem Al Hashimi, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, the Executive Director commended the efforts of the UAE on gender equality globally. The two agreed to continue deepening the collaboration between the UAE and UN Women, with a focus on the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 and moving the needle on the under-representation of women in leadership and in peace and security globally.