US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1708

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, AND NAE/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KWMN, TC 
SUBJECT: RENEWED CALL FOR UAE WOMEN TO JOIN THE FEDERAL 
NATIONAL COUNCIL 
 
 
1. SUMMARY:  PROMINENT GULF WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN A 
CONFERENCE ON WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT MADE A STRONG PITCH TO THE 
UAEG TO INCLUDE EMIRATI WOMEN IN THE UAE FEDERAL NATIONAL 
COUNCIL (FNC).  THE CALL CAME DURING A SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED 
BY THE UAE GENERAL WOMEN'S UNION (GWU) ENTITLED 
"PARLIAMENTARY PERFORMANCE OF ARAB WOMEN" ON MAY 16-17.  UAE 
FIRST LADY SHAYKHA FATIMA BINT MUBARAK, GWU DIRECTOR GENERAL 
NOURA AL SUWEIDI, MEMBERS OF THE ABU DHABI NATIONAL 
CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL (ADNCC), MEMBERS OF ABU DHABI 
BUSINESSWOMEN'S COUNCIL, AND INTELLECTUALS AND OFFICIALS 
FROM THE UAE AND GCC COUNTRIES ATTENDED THE SYMPOSIUM.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. THE TWO-DAY GWU SYMPOSIUM, ORGANIZED JOINTLY WITH THE 
CAIRO-BASED ARAB CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURISTIC 
RESEARCH, STUDIED THE REASONS BEHIND THE ABSENCE OF WOMEN IN 
THE UAE AND OTHER GULF COUNTRIES' LEGISLATURES.  IN 
PARTICULAR, PARTICIPANTS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 
UAEG'S INTERVENTION TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN THE APPOINTED 
FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL.  THE ENGLISH DAILY "KHALEEJ TIMES" 
QUOTED SHAYKHA FATIMA AS SAYING THAT THE GWU, IN 
COORDINATION WITH THE FNC, HAS BEEN CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND 
DISCUSSION PANELS WITH THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING WOMEN AND 
PREPARING THEM TO TAKE PART IN PARLIAMENTARY LIFE. THE 
ENGLISH DAILY "GULF NEWS" REPORTED THAT A MEMBER OF ADNCC 
HAD SAID THAT THERE ARE WERE LEGAL OBSTACLES FOR WOMEN 
WILLING TO ENTER POLITICS AND THE UAE AUTHORITIES WERE 
LIKELY TO TAKE A DECISION AS SOON AS "THE RIGHT TIME COMES." 
HE CONTINUED TO SAY THAT "WE WILL SEE WOMEN IN THE FNC VERY 
SOON." 
 
3. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS URGED GULF GOVERNMENTS TO RESERVE 
SEATS FOR WOMEN IN THEIR LEGISLATURES AS A FIRST STEP TO 
INCREASING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS; IMPROVE 
ELECTION LAWS BY AMENDING OR REMOVING MEASURES THAT 
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WOMEN; DELETE FROM THE CURRICULUM ANY 
MATERIAL THAT DISTORTS THE IMAGE OF WOMEN; PROMOTE 
CURRICULUM THAT REPRESENTS WOMEN AS EQUAL PARTNERS TO MEN; 
ACTIVATE THE ROLE OF WOMEN'S UNIONS AND ENCOURAGE 
COORDINATION; AND ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S 
CADRES. 
 
4. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE UAE WORKFORCE AND IN MAJOR 
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE 
YEARS.  SHAYKHA FATIMA TOLD THE SYMPOSIUM THAT UAE WOMEN 
COMPRISE 59 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL LABOR FORCE.  FEMALE CADRES 
ALSO OCCUPY MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, 
AND WOMEN HOLD 60 PERCENT OF THE TECHNICAL POSITIONS IN THE 
FIELDS OF MEDICINE, PHARMACY AND NURSING. UAE WOMEN ALSO 
FILL 35.4 PERCENT OF THE VACANCIES AT THE MINISTRY OF HIGHER 
EDUCATION AND 29 PERCENT OF THE DIPLOMATIC POSTS AT THE 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
 
5. THE ISSUE OF UAE WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL 
LIFE AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE UAE PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN DEBATED 
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.  THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASING CALLS FOR 
GREATER PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICS AS QUALIFIED 
WOMEN HAVE BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND 
POLITICAL ARENAS, BACKED UP BY THE STRONG SUPPORT OF SHAYKHA 
FATIMA. 
WAHBA