In the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Centre, the Organising Committee of the second ‘Investing in the Future’ conference hosted a gala dinner in honour of participating organisations and sponsors.
The two-day international conference, which closed yesterday (Thursday), was organised by The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a Sharjah-based international humanitarian body, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
The banquet, held at the Sharjah Centre for Space Science and Astronomy, was attended by HE Ameera BinKaram, Vice Chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment and Chairperson of the Sharjah Business Women Council, Sheikha Aisha Khalid Al Qasimi, Director of Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, and Mohammed Nasiri, Regional Director of UN Women.
Also attending were Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of “Salam Ya Seghar”, an initiative by the Big Heart Foundation, and Erum Mazher Alvie, Senior Advisor at the Executive Office of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi.
Addressing the gathering, HE Ameera BinKaram highlighted the goals of the conference, saying: “With the theme of the second edition of the conference ‘Building the Resilience of Women and Girls in the Arab Region’, we want our recommendations to become a reality on the ground. This has an obvious message of justice for women and an end to their suffering and the discrimination shown against them, but it is also vital that we nurture young women’s minds and champion their rights in order to develop societies, nations and civilisations.
“In Sharjah and the UAE, we believe that as space is infinite, women’s aspirations and dreams must also have no limits. Sometimes we do not reach our potential simply because we are the ones who put borders and barriers to progress and development for ourselves and those around us.”
She noted: “As the UAE’s Hope spacecraft is set to arrive at Mars in 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of our nation, we are looking forward to seeing, over the next 10 years, the first Emirati women in space – the first Arab and African women to explore the planets.
“Thanks to the support and efforts of many individuals and institutions, women have made unprecedented achievements in recent decades,” BinKaram said. She noted that women in the UAE reached highly respected positions in all sectors, including non-traditional professions for GCC and Arab communities, where Emirati women have become fighter pilots, captains of metros, ambassadors, ministers and Speakers of Parliament.
BinKaram continued: “These milestones achieved by Emirati women are evidence of a supportive environment together with decisive legislation and loyal institutions, and most of all to the wise leadership of inspiring women to achieve more. And here we should not forget the efforts of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, who has been instrumental in supporting women since the founding of the UAE in 1971. This immeasurable strength has led UAE women to make unprecedented achievements in all areas of life.”
BinKaram also highlighted the pioneering role played by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi. Her Highness has launched many initiatives to support and empower women to achieve growth and development in the UAE, in line with her commitment to providing all the necessary tools that help women to advance their roles in community development and be an effective change agent in educational, economic and social sectors.
In her speech, Mariam Al Hammadi said: “Through organising the ‘Investing in the Future’ conference and by utilising the tremendous efforts of our partners, we sought to articulate the vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Big Heart Foundation and Chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, to enhance women’s status and highlight their essential role in economic and social development.”
The conference featured many sessions that involved a combination of representatives from government and non-government organisations, women’s rights activists, gender equality advocates, decision-makers, academics, experts and journalists from around the region and across the world. The conference aimed to establish advice and recommendations which participants could then turn into action programs with long-term impact, in collaboration with local and international partners.
Al Hammadi added: “We dedicated this evening to honouring our partners who helped us to organise the conference, primarily The Empowerment of Women (UN Women). We also thank our partner, NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, whose involvement has contributed to enhancing the success of the conference and extend our thanks to the media sponsors of the conference, Sharjah Media Centre.”
Addressing the gathering, HE Ameera BinKaram highlighted the goals of the conference, saying: “With the theme of the second edition of the conference ‘Building the Resilience of Women and Girls in the Arab Region’, we want our recommendations to become a reality on the ground. This has an obvious message of justice for women and an end to their suffering and the discrimination shown against them, but it is also vital that we nurture young women’s minds and champion their rights in order to develop societies, nations and civilisations.
“In Sharjah and the UAE, we believe that as space is infinite, women’s aspirations and dreams must also have no limits. Sometimes we do not reach our potential simply because we are the ones who put borders and barriers to progress and development for ourselves and those around us.”
She noted: “As the UAE’s Hope spacecraft is set to arrive at Mars in 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of our nation, we are looking forward to seeing, over the next 10 years, the first Emirati women in space – the first Arab and African women to explore the planets.
“Thanks to the support and efforts of many individuals and institutions, women have made unprecedented achievements in recent decades,” BinKaram said.
She noted that women in the UAE reached highly respected positions in all sectors, including non-traditional professions for GCC and Arab communities, where Emirati women have become fighter pilots, captains of metros, ambassadors, ministers and Speakers of Parliament.
BinKaram continued: “These milestones achieved by Emirati women are evidence of a supportive environment together with decisive legislation and loyal institutions, and most of all to the wise leadership of inspiring women to achieve more. And here we should not forget the efforts of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, who has been instrumental in supporting women since the founding of the UAE in 1971. This immeasurable strength has led UAE women to make unprecedented achievements in all areas of life.”
BinKaram also highlighted the pioneering role played by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi. Her Highness has launched many initiatives to support and empower women to achieve growth and development in the UAE, in line with her commitment to providing all the necessary tools that help women to advance their roles in community development and be an effective change agent in educational, economic and social sectors.
Mohammed Nasiri said: “One year ago I thought our achievements today were an unattainable dream. But here we see women leaders dedicated to achieving justice, equality and empowerment, not only in the UAE, or the Arab world, but globally. It was an eventful day, rich in discussions and I am profoundly grateful for this partnership with the Big Heart Foundation which marks a real start to sustainable action for the empowerment of women in the region.”
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