Part of the first edition of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Summit, WEEGS, 2017’s two-day discussion agenda will be an exclusive women-only panel session titled "Emirati Women: Potential & Possibilities," which will be held on 5th December, the second day of the summit, at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Organised by the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, NAMA, in collaboration with the UAE General Women’s Union, this closed session will focus on further strengthening the nation’s enduring efforts to empower local women and enhance their contributions by creating a more enabling economy and society. It will also underline the role of local and international stakeholders in providing them better accessibility and technical support.

One of the highlights of WEEGS 2017, the panel will be attended by H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of NAMA and Honorary Patron for Global Women’s Inclusion.

It will be part of 20 panel discussions that will take place over the two days of the event in the presence of 1,000+ attendees. The summit’s agenda is to further gender-responsive procurement and women’s full integration into the economy by securing their interests. It is bringing together over 70 high-profile officials, international experts, thought leaders and successful women entrepreneurs, who will share their views that will seek to influence the global decision-making process and shape global policies to advance women in the economy.

Speakers will address several topics related to women’s participation in the economy and will shed light on practical ways to make the economy more enabling for women through the provision of licences and other competitive advantages. Entrepreneurial opportunities for women in the fields of artificial intelligence, environment, and statistics will be highlighted, and the best ways to approach new investment opportunities will be discussed.

Reem BinKaram, Director of NAMA, said, "As far as equal opportunities for women are concerned, the UAE is really an example for the world. This is reflected in the fact that we were ranked first by the World Economic Forum in 2014 in the respect for women index."

"The international recognition of the UAE’s efforts to create a level playing field for both genders has continued with the country being ranked first in the MENA region by the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report 2016, and among the top 10 countries in the global gender wage equality index, which signalled a brighter future the empowerment of women in the country," she added.

"The ‘Emirati Women: Potential and Possibilities’ will be of significant importance to consolidating the achievements of local women, and will focus on identifying our strengths, challenges and growth opportunities," BinKaram stressed.

The UAE is home to some 23,000 businesswomen who manage projects with assets worth an estimated $15 billion (AED 55 billion) while women represent 46.6 percent of the country’s total workforce, demonstrating the UAE’s regional leadership in women's empowerment. This achievement is due to the vision of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and has been strongly boosted by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the landmark initiatives of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).

WEEGS 2017 will involve six sector-specific sessions, which will address the growth prospects for women in 16 key sectors, most notably energy, sustainability, health and marketing. The event, which is themed, "Women Excelling in the Economy," will also include two interactive improvised sessions, with the participation of many prominent local and international entrepreneurs, who will share their personal experiences in the world of entrepreneurship and provide tips on how to achieve success, as well as other workshops and sessions