The UAE Permanent Committee for Human Rights (PCHR) recently hosted a fireside chat on women’s participation in public policy, in collaboration with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) and with conceptual support from the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).
The event convened government officials and diplomats from the UAE and Europe to explore how gender-inclusive policies and leadership can be facilitated.
The fireside chat forms part of an ongoing event series hosted by the UAE Permanent Committee for Human Rights and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, which aims to provide a platform to exchange best practices in the implementation of human rights.
Hind Alowais, Director of the PCHR, stressed that women’s full and equal participation in public policy not only requires political will, but a comprehensive framework of supportive policies, legal protections and institutional mechanisms that ensure women have the necessary resources and opportunities to engage effectively.
Moderated by Dr. Sara Chehab, Senior Research Fellow at AGDA, the fireside chat heard insights from a number of speakers, including HE Antoine Delcourt, Ambassador of Belgium to the UAE; Afra Al Hameli, Director of Strategic Communications at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Roudha Alshehhi, Head of European Affairs Section at the UAE Federal National Council.
Speakers spotlighted the importance of international and national legislation in ensuring women have equal opportunities in public policy and decision-making. This included introducing special measures to address gender disparities, and bolstering legal protections via frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and other instruments.
HE Delcourt commented: “We must lay the foundations for widening women’s participation by rolling out educational and professional development programmes that empower women to enter public service. From inspiring confidence, to encouraging leadership skills, we must equip the next generation of female talent to set them up for success.”
Dr. Chehab called education the “cornerstone of women’s empowerment,” and said that it is vital for enabling women to lead and make vital contributions to diplomatic efforts across the globe.
“To truly champion women in public policy, we must provide all the support and resources available to open doors,” added Dr. Chehab.