It’s true – men have walked away with every trophy at the Dubai Government’s annual Gender Balance Index 2018 awards this week.
The awards offer up prizes for people or departments who support women and gender equality including best gender “personality”, best workplace initiative and best department.
While the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, “recognised the efforts” of one woman, she missed out on an award.
Unsurprisingly the announcement of the winners was slammed on social media and we were ready to join in – until we did some research.
It turns out women have been among the winners in previous years.
Bridging the gender gap
The UAE has made some considerable steps towards gender equality too. In 1975, just 1,000 women were employed there, according to a UN report. By 2015, there were 135,000 Emirati women in the workforce.
While women are banned from “hazardous, strenuous, or physically challenging jobs” and working from 10pm to 7am, the country has also mandated equal pay from April.
Women in the UAE are also entitled to 60 days of paid maternity leave if they work in the public sector – in the private sector, it’s 45 days.
Of course, there is still a very long way to go. Emirati women still don’t have many of the same legal rights as men – and gender discrimination doesn’t even get a mention in their anti-discrimination laws.
But isn’t it the responsibility of both men and women to do what they can to push for gender equality?
An all-male list of winners would suggest the UAE are making progress in this area – just as we are here in Australia.
