(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 04th Apr, 2025) NEW YORK, 4th April, 2025 (WAM) – Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of Family, led the United Arab Emirates’ delegation to the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). The key theme of CSW69 was the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly on gender balance and equality, development, and peace for the 21st century.
The UAE delegation included Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union (GWU); Reem Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Motherhood and Childhood; Lt. Colonel Dana Al Marzooqi, Director-General of the Office of International Affairs, Ministry of Interior; Hanan Ahli, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Centre; and Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security Council for the UAE Government.
Delivering the UAE statement during the CSW69 General Discussion, Sana bint Mohammed Suhail highlighted the progress made over the last 30 years in the advancement, promotion, and protection of women and girls around the world.
She said, “It is more critical than ever that, going forward, the international community continues to deliver on promises made in Beijing and today.”
Additionally, she participated in a Ministerial Roundtable on national mechanisms for gender balance and equality and the empowerment of women and girls, during which Ministers had the opportunity to engage in dialogue and discussion to exchange experiences, lessons learned, and good practices, and to focus on key strategies and priorities for further action to address gaps and challenges.
During the discussion, Sana bint Mohammed Suhail highlighted the UAE’s efforts towards women’s economic empowerment and their full, efficient and meaningful participation across all sectors.
She added: “To ensure gender parity and women’s full equal and meaningful participation across society and at all levels, the UAE has introduced quotas in the public and private sectors, including for public and private joint-stock companies to allocate at least one seat on their board of Directors to women. It is critical to promote women’s economic inclusion to strengthen their decision-making and leadership roles in all aspects of their lives.”
On the sidelines of CSW69, Sana bint Mohammed Suhail held a series of bilateral meetings, including with Dr. Maimoonah Khalil Al-Khalil, Secretary General of the Family Affairs Council, Saudi Arabia, and Dr. Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, Ukraine.
During CSW69, the UAE – represented by the Ministry of Interior – also launched an exhibition at the UN Headquarters titled ‘Mother of the Nation’, honouring the visionary leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, which offered a glimpse into the UAE’s journey in advancing women and girls as a pillar of peace, prosperity, security, and sustainable development.
Additionally, the Ministry of Interior and Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Centre hosted a side event titled ‘Leading by example beyond borders: Strategies for combatting violence and digital violence against women’. This event marked the launch of a report on the ‘UAE’s Regulatory & Preventive Model to Combat Digital Violence & Violence Against Women and Girls’, which details the regulatory frameworks, preventive measures, and strategic initiatives undertaken by the UAE to combat digital violence and protect women and girls.
For her part, Noura Al Suwaidi also participated in a side event, co-hosted by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, on ‘Women and Technology: Inspiring Stories in the GCC’. Al Suwaidi highlighted the UAE’s efforts to empower women and girls in technology and innovation, emphasizing groundbreaking initiatives that facilitate their leadership in AI, space, and entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, the UAE co-hosted a side event along with Jordan, KSA, Tunisia, Egypt, Oman, Morocco and the UN Women, titled ‘The Role of National Strategies and Collective Efforts in Enhancing Women’s Economic Empowerment in the MENA Region and the Gulf States’. During the event, Al Suwaidi reiterated the UAE’s unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers and advancing women’s economic progress across all sectors.
The UAE also co-hosted alongside China, Cuba, KSA, Zambia, UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) a side event titled ‘Technology and Women’s Empowerment: Global South Perspective and Practice’. Hanan Ahli highlighted the UAE’s commitment to leveraging technology to close digital gaps, expand women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in STEM and entrepreneurship, and ensure financial access and digital safety through policy, innovation, and global collaboration.
In addition, Ahli participated in a roundtable hosted by The World Bank, titled ‘The Future of Care: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs’. Ahli underscored the UAE’s commitment to empowering women and girls by investing in women-led care enterprises, fostering public-private partnerships, integrating gender parity into national competitiveness, and leveraging technology to create a more inclusive and resilient economy.
