The Sustainabilist | SMART CITIES
INTERVIEW Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi
Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi is the Vice Chairperson of the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS)’s Women’s Committee. On top of this, she is the Chief HR Officer at Tafeeth, of the Emirates NBD Group as well as a scholar and an active member of the community. Simply put, she is a role model in the nation. We had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Fatima after the most recent Women’s Committee assembly. We talked about women in the workplace in the UAE, the goals of the Committee, and how these will be achieved. She is an excellent example of a hardworking and determined woman, with a successful career and looking to encourage and empower other women.
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I am very proud that women make up to 70% of nationals in the banking sector
Q. WHAT ARE THE MAIN GOALS OF THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE IN BANKING AND WHAT STRATEGIES IS THE COMMITTEE DEVELOPING TO ACHIEVE THEM? A. The women empowerment committee in the banking sector, the first of its kind, was established in 2019 to support EIBFS in providing a platform to promote the effective and influential role of women as employers, leaders, and successful entrepreneurs in the banking and financial sector in the UAE. One of the committee’s goals is to mentor young emiratis who are heading to be part of workforce in the sector and provide networking and mentorship opportunities that support strong workplace environment. The committee also aims to support and promote entrepreneurship opportunities for proficient businesswomen. The committee is not limited to women in the banking sector, as we hope to partner with other sectors and establish a mutual support for women in different industries. Q. AS WOMEN IN THE LABOUR FORCE IN THE UAE IS INCREASING, HOW DOES THIS REFLECT IN BENEFITS FOR ECONOMY? A. The UAE has made focussed efforts to empower its women – who make up 65% of the country’s graduates – in recent years, including the formation of the Gender Balance Council and special military schools for women. Emirati women currently hold 66% of government jobs (30% of which are deemed leadership roles). They also have a presence in the diplomatic corps, armed forces, in national service, police and security. Their presence in space sciences, technology, engineering and medicine is a key factor in the development of the country and its economy.We have 9 female ministers in the UAE’s Cabinet. That accounts for one third of the Cabinet. The youngest appointed minister was Shamma Al Mazrui at age 22, who is the Minister of State for Youth, and she entered the Guinness world record for being the youngest cabinet minister in the world. Moreover, the directives of the President include doubling women’s representation in the Federal National Council to 50%, aiming to rank the UAE in the top positions worldwide in terms of representation of women in parliament.
