Following several initiatives intended to boost the education of women and their participation in business management, the United Arab Emirates has seen a significant evolution of the role of women in business and technology.
A recent survey sponsored by Advanced Technology Investment Company, based in Abu Dhabi, has revealed that women have reversed the traditional gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Today, universities in the UAE are graduating more women than men in these disciplines. The rise in women’s participation in these high-earning careers could potentially boost the gross domestic product of the UAE by 12 percent, according to a study by Booz Allen.
The influx of women into fields traditionally occupied by men continues a decade-long trend that has seen more women take high-level positions in boardrooms and academic centers throughout the country. In a March study released by Grant Thornton, women were found to hold about 14 percent of senior management positions in the UAE. While this figure is below the global average, it exceeds the figures for countries such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Japan.
As UAE reorients its business culture to integrate more women into the workplace, the country is poised to expand its economy in coming years and remain an attractive locale for foreign investment.
Shahram Shirkhani 