The European Union Delegation to the United Arab Emirates organised the first series of EU consultations in the Gulf region to explore opportunities for collaboration on women’s empowerment and gender equality. Held at Abu Dhabi University and the Dubai Business Women Council over the course of two days, these consultations brought together 20 representatives from civil society organisations, academic institutions, the private sector, and multilateral agencies.
The roundtable discussions provided participants with a platform to discuss personal experiences, opportunities, challenges to equality and empowerment, and to identify priorities, best practices, and potential areas of cooperation between the EU and the UAE.
H.E. Lucie Berger, the EU Ambassador to the UAE, emphasized the need for such collaborations, stating: “We need to work with partners and allies like the UAE – to make sure that we collectively move towards a more sustainable world where everyone has space to thrive and where women and girls have a fair chance to address challenges and harness opportunities. We need to foster collaboration and synergies among all sectors and build alliances because progress in one area can enhance progress in others.”
Equality and non-discrimination are fundamental principles and core values for the European Union as expressed in the EU Treaties; as they are integral to achieving a fair, democratic society, sustainable development, and economic growth. Since 2020, these values are also formally embedded in EU foreign policy as part of the Gender Action Plan III.
