Tomorrow, August 28, the UAE will commemorate Emirati Women’s Day, which will highlight the nation’s long history of women’s empowerment and accomplishments. Emirati women have actively contributed to the development of the country, shaped its future, and embodied its ideals of excellence, leadership, and giving.
This year’s event, which has as its theme “We Emerge Stronger and Better,” symbolizes the UAE’s desire to build on its successes and seek new advancements.
The event, which will take place countrywide from August 28 to September 28, 2026, will serve as a platform for action, initiating projects, acknowledging accomplishments, and showcasing inspirational role models while reiterating that the success of Emirati women is a crucial component of the country’s path.
A key figure in the effort to empower Emirati women is Her Highness Sheika Fatima bint Mubarak, the “Mother of the Nation,” Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (SCMC), and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).
With a vision that strikes a balance between the demands of contemporary life and the preservation of national identity and Arab and Islamic values, her efforts have helped institutionalize women’s work since the General Women’s Union was founded and strengthen its presence and role in supporting women, families, and society.
The Abu Dhabi Women’s Association, the nation’s first women’s organization, was founded in 1973, marking the start of organized women’s labor in the United Arab Emirates. The General Women’s Union was founded in 1975 as an umbrella organization for women’s work and as a starting point for an ongoing path of empowerment and success. This was followed by the formation of women’s associations throughout the Emirates.
A legislative and institutional framework that improved women’s rights in employment, education, and services and established the notion of equal opportunity for men and women, culminating in legislation enshrining equal pay for both genders, has supported this journey.
