Making Gender Balance a Reality
In the UAE, women have much to celebrate with their many achievements due to the vision of our nation’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Talking about the accomplishments of women in the UAE he said, "We are entitled to recall with much pride the great achievements of women in our country and promote their social and economic roles in the public and private sectors." The perseverance of Sheikh Zayed was instrumental in the journey of Emirati women, and had a crucial role in addressing their progress.
Achieving gender balance has always played an integral role within UAE society and remains a key priority for the future of the country. As we continue to make progress towards becoming one of the top 25 countries for gender equality by 2021, there comes a need to adopt concrete action plans to entrench gender balance practices in the workplace. The late Sheikh Zayed emphasized on many occasions that, "All areas of work are open to women in the UAE, as they are for men."
At Mubadala, we recognize that women's equality and empowerment are critical to creating value for our business and our communities. As a trusted partner, an engaged shareholder and a responsible global company, inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values, giving everyone the potential to unlock their own possibilities. Women provide invaluable contributions to the workforce and deserve equal opportunities, and we are dedicated to helping them shape their futures.
Advancing women at all levels is a priority for Mubadala. As part of our responsibility to advance women in the workplace, we have put a number of efforts and initiatives in place to help us move the needle. Today, we have a strong representation of women at all levels of our organization, including management, technical and executive ranks. Emirati women are working at the frontlines of innovation and inspiring future generations to think beyond traditional roles. This is indicative of the strength of Mubadala’s commitment to build a nation where gender balance is a reality.
Dr. Mai Al Jaber,
A Humanitarian on the Course of Zayed
The founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was and remains an exemplary role model of humanitarianism, and the UAE has become has become one of the world's most generous supporters of international humanitarian causes. Sheikh Zayed’s philanthropic values have been deeply entrenched in the people of the UAE.
Emirati women hold leadership positions at numerous UAE foundations and philanthropic organizations, actively contributing to the development of their society and nation, and helping the UAE achieve its place as the world’s largest per capita donor of foreign aid.
A champion of community service in healthcare, Dr. Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, the Deputy Medical Director and Head of Public Health Initiatives at Healthpoint where she spearheads women and children's wellness initiatives is a finalist in the Emirates Woman for the ‘Woman of the Year Awards’ - Humanitarian category which honors and celebrate the achievements of women in the philanthropic fields in the UAE. Dr. Jaber is also an active member on the boards of the General Authority of Sport, the UAE National Olympic Committee and the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
She began her career in 2005 with the UAE Armed Forces as a First Lieutenant Medical Doctor, which took her to Afghanistan in 2010 for two weeks to provide medical care for people based within the UAE military camp and train a women's military hospital. In 2010, she revisited the country to treat victims of war as part of the UAE medical clinic. This phase of her career greatly impacted her as she continued to work with the Zayed Military Hospital where she practiced public health, working on various health programs across UAE military camps.
While this chapter of her career proved intense and challenging, it was pivotal in shaping her sense of discipline, strong work ethic and giving back to the community. These experiences have positively influenced her journey as a medical professional, sharpening her leadership skills and enhancing her ability to provide service excellence within the healthcare industry. Dr. Jaber hopes to continue the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed and hope to taker her advocacy for women's health further in the community.
Abeer Alblooshi,
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Ahmed Ali AlMenhali joined Yahsat in 2016 as a Spacecraft System Engineer. He is responsible for supporting Yahsat’s current and future spacecraft on platform-related programs, which include procurement, design, analysis, integration, testing and operation
The Emirati Woman Behind Life-changing Organ Transplants in Abu Dhabi.
Abeer Alblooshi is a shining example of an Emirati woman working in the healthcare sector. A graduate of the pioneering co-educational nursing program at Higher Colleges of Technology, she has risen to become Senior Clinical Director of the Nursing, Surgical and Transplant Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Committed to carefully managing her career, studies, and family life, Abeer is also the mother of four young children aged between 5 and 8.
Having worked as part of the transplant program at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), Abeer was keen to continue with this work at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the only multi-organ transplant center in the UAE. Reflecting on her previous role in the dialysis unit at SEHA, Abeer explained, “When you have worked in a dialysis unit, as I have, you quickly understand why organ donation and transplants are such a gift.”
Her fundamental role in the transplantation unit is to ensure that patients are provided with the best possible care and treatment. Aside from the necessary paperwork, Abeer stresses that she is, “mostly patient-facing and I plan my working week to include the maximum amount of time taking to and reassuring patients, answering any questions they or their family members may have, and generally making sure that everyone is well-informed and feels comfortable”.
The feeling of pride in her role is apparent when Abeer describes the transplant program, “Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has recruited some of the best surgeons in the world and is now conducting multi-organ transplants”, adding, “this has happened over the past three years and has changed the way we look at transplant cases. Patients can now receive transplants closer to home rather than travelling abroad for treatment”. A major advantage for Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is being in a position to benefit from the many years of experience accumulated by Cleveland Clinic in the United States. The hospitals share expertise, techniques and innovation.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a truly multi-cultural environment staffed by caregivers from all over the world. In addition to caring for patients, Abeer cares for her fellow caregivers, playing a significant role in raising cultural awareness and guiding staff on the appropriate way to handle sensitive situations.
When asked to offer advice to young Emirati women considering a career in the healthcare industry, she said, “To be successful, you need to get a mentor who you can model yourself on.” She now has a whole team of people to whom she can turn to for advice and guidance. As an Emirati woman, she is also conscious that she is a role model for others who are considering a career in the healthcare industry.
