The Dubai Business Women Council, DBWC, has received a delegation from the University Leadership Consortium, ULC, to discuss coordinating joint efforts and exchange skills and expertise.

This came during a meeting at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters, which was attended by Dr. Raja Al Gurg, President of the DBWC, and a number of board members from the council and businesswomen from the emirate. The delegation that attended the meeting was headed by Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Secretary-General of the ULC.

The delegation also included Nicole Ameline, Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on Parity and Gender Balance; Estelle Pouille, Chairperson of the Women Empowerment Initiative of the French Business Group and the spouse of French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille; Fatima Obaid Al Jaber, Board Member of Al Jaber Group; Maysoon Barber, Executive Director of the Fatima bint Hazza' Cultural Foundation; Fatima Al Marzouqi, Vice President of Mubadala; Budoor Saeed Al Raqbani, Founder CEO of Kalimati Speech and Communication Centre; Mary Corrado, Vice Chairman of the Make a Wish Foundation and Founding Chairperson of AMIDEAST in the UAE, and a number of the most prominent business women from the country.

During the meeting, the Dubai Business Women Council reviewed the role that it played since its inception in 2002 to support working women and provide them with the necessary skills and relationships to succeed in the workplace. The council also reviewed its role in promoting gender equality in the country, and its efforts in enhancing the contributions of women in the economic development of the UAE.

Dr. Al Gurg pointed out that the achievements of women in the UAE are due to the wise vision of the country’s leadership, who have given women the support that they need to succeed, which includes establishing the DWBC. She stated that the council has succeeded in cementing its status as one of the most prominent bodies for supporting working women and developing their role in society.

"We are pleased to cooperate with the University Leadership Consortium by exchanging skills and expertise and by adopting a shared vision that enhances the contribution of women in various fields and sectors," she added.

During the meeting, Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah praised the DBWC’s achievements in advancing the role of women in the country and in supporting and motivating women to succeed. She also noted that these meetings help to cement partnerships and facilitate the exchange of skills and expertise. She added that the ULC is keen to establish a strategic partnership with the DBWC, with the aim of empowering women and enhancing their role in the economic development of the country.

Nicole Ameline expressed her admiration for the achievements of women in various fields in the UAE and praised the recent decision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to adopt the Law on Equal Wages and Salaries for Men and Women, which reflects the important role of working women in society and the trust that the leadership has in their abilities and capabilities.

Nadine Halabi, Business Development Manager at the DBWC, showcased the various different services that the council offers to its members. She also reviewed both the different initiatives that the council has launched and the important role that it plays in supporting working women and enhancing their competitiveness in the country’s labour market. One of the most prominent initiatives of the council is the "Spirit of Zayed" mentorship programme, which represents an initiative that gives working women the skills and expertise that they need to excel and innovate.