UAE Gender Balance Council joins BRICS Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Brazil

The UAE, through the Gender Balance Council, took part in the BRICS Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, addressing women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, digital safety, and climate action.

On this occasion, Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of UAE Gender Balance Council, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, praised Brazil’s leadership of the BRICS group and reaffirmed the UAE’s dedication to global collaboration that uplifts women and ensures sustainable, inclusive growth.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal stated that “economic empowerment is not only a basic right for women; it is a national priority and a driver of sustainable growth and innovation.” Her Highness emphasised that gender balance is central to the UAE’s national agenda and that economic empowerment for women is a strategic priority that drives innovation and resilience. The UAE continues leading the region with progressive laws supporting equal pay, parental leave, and women's full economic participation.

She highlighted the UAE’s commitment to including women in climate action and green innovation, noting their leadership roles in sustainability, solar energy, and agriculture.

Furthermore, Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum praised the timely and vital themes addressed at the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Women’s Affairs, noting that they reflect a shared determination among member states to place gender equality at the core of sustainable development and global progress. She noted the importance of international collaboration, adding, “BRICS offers a valuable platform to share knowledge and create opportunities for women to lead climate action efforts worldwide.”

Distinguished Emirati Achievements
Her Highness expressed deep pride in the UAE’s remarkable milestones in advancing women’s economic empowerment—milestones made possible through the unwavering support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the encouragement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. She reaffirmed that the UAE regards women’s empowerment as a fundamental right and a national priority that drives progress across all sectors.

Her Highness also reiterated the UAE’s strong commitment to shaping a digital future that is empowering, equitable, and protected from gender-based violence. This commitment is reinforced through robust legal and legislative frameworks. In November, the UAE Gender Balance Council advanced these efforts by launching the “Guidelines for Preventive Policies Against Gender-Based Violence Through Digital Applications”, a pioneering step towards safer digital environments for women.

Council Participation
The United Arab Emirates participated actively in the BRICS Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting, with the participation of Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council.

The meeting commenced with an inspiring address by Brazil's First Lady, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the presence of distinguished leaders: Her Excellency Esther Duque, Minister of Administration and Innovation in Public Services; Her Excellency Anielle Franco, Minister of Racial Equality; and Her Excellency Aparecida Gonçalves, Minister of Women of Brazil.

Together, they championed a powerful agenda of progress through three pivotal discussions: advancing international coordination, empowering women through economic independence and entrepreneurship, harnessing digital governance to combat online violence, and amplifying women's voices in climate action and sustainable development.

Entrepreneurship
In the "Women, Development, and Entrepreneurship" session, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri underscored the UAE’s long-standing support for women in business. “Emirati women have made a lasting impact on our national economy,” said Her Excellency Mona Al Marri. “Today, they represent 18% of all entrepreneurs, and over 77% are under 40. These achievements result from decades of progressive policies and leadership support.” She highlighted that Emirati women have significantly impacted the business landscape, with the number of female entrepreneurs rising to 25,000 by 2021, a testament to their growing influence and determination in shaping the future of the UAE.

She highlighted initiatives like the SWAN programme launched by Khalifa Fund, which trains Emirati women Entrepreneurs, and the SDG 5 Pledge, which promote leadership opportunities and business growth for women across sectors. She called on BRICS nations to expand mentorship networks and create cross-border platforms for women entrepreneurs.

Digital Governance
Speaking on “Digital Governance and Misogyny,” Mona Al Marri stressed the need for inclusive and ethical digital spaces. Women thrive in STEM fields in the UAE, making up 56% of STEM graduates and 80% of the Mars Mission science team.

She noted strong UAE legislation against online abuse while highlighting the UAE’s pioneering efforts in protecting women online, stating, “We’ve enacted strong laws to combat cyber harassment, hate speech, and misinformation. But we must go further and work together internationally to create safer, more inclusive digital spaces.” The UAE works closely with tech platforms to raise global standards and empower women in the digital economy.

Climate Action
Her Excellency Mona Al Marri emphasised women’s growing role in UAE climate leadership in the climate session. At COP28, women held two-thirds of the UAE delegation’s leadership roles. Women now make up 30% of the energy workforce.

She spotlighted the UAE’s international initiatives, like the Climate Change and Gender Equality Initiative with UN Women. She encouraged BRICS countries to share strategies, invest in green skills, and support women-led climate innovation.

For her part, Her Excellency Aparecida Gonçalves, highlighted the UAE’s exemplary achievements in promoting gender balance and recognised its advanced standing on the global stage in this field. She described the UAE as a pioneering model whose experience offers valuable lessons for the international community. She expressed her strong desire to deepen collaboration with the UAE Gender Balance Council to help advance shared global goals for equality and empowerment.

Bilateral Meetings
On the sidelines of the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri met with Her Excellency Aparecida Gonçalves, Brazil’s Minister of Women. The meeting focused on exploring avenues for cooperation and exchanging expertise in gender balance.**

Her Excellency Mona Al Marri extended her appreciation to Brazil for its warm hospitality and the well-organized hosting of the meeting. She also commended the agenda’s comprehensive topics, which reflect Brazil’s commitment to enhancing collaboration among BRICS nations in advancing gender balance.

For her part, Her Excellency Aparecida Gonçalves praised the UAE’s pioneering achievements in gender balance and its globally recognised leadership in this area. She described the UAE as a model to be emulated and expressed a keen interest in strengthening cooperation with the UAE Gender Balance Council to help accelerate international progress in this field.

During the visit, His Excellency Saleh Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, welcomed Her Excellency Mona Al Marri in the presence of Her Excellency Mouza Mohammed Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, and Maitha Al Hashimi, Director of Strategic Studies and Legislation.

His Excellency Saleh Al Suwaidi commended the Council’s active engagement in this prominent international platform and its role in reinforcing the UAE’s global standing in competitiveness indicators.

Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, in turn, commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its pivotal role in highlighting the country’s achievements in gender balance at global forums and thanked the UAE Embassy in Brazil for supporting the Council’s participation in this significant event.

Her Excellency Mouza emphasised that the BRICS Ministerial Meeting was a crucial platform for exchanging ideas on key areas such as entrepreneurship, digital governance, and climate action. She highlighted that BRICS nations have a unique chance to lead by example, fostering cross-border opportunities and building integrated systems that empower women entrepreneurs. She stressed that actual progress means enabling women to participate in the economy and shape and sustain its future transformation.

The UAE’s active participation in the BRICS Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting reflects its unwavering commitment to advancing gender balance globally. Through visionary leadership, progressive policies, and transformative initiatives, the UAE continues to empower women across key sectors from entrepreneurship and climate action to digital innovation and governance.