educate an individual, but by educating a women you educate a family.

                UN statistics indicate that the UAE is among the most developed nations in educating females.  From a conservative tradition where hardship was the norm, through education, under a benign government whose priorities has always been women's issues, women in the UAE have literally blossomed, achieving the highest rate of development in the Arab countries.  

                Women are encouraged to become highly educated, and there is no limit to their choices of careers.  They are taking on new roles as teachers, doctors and leaders.  One out of every three doctors, pharmacists, technicians and administrators is a woman.  About 20% of the total work force is now women.  However, in government the percentage is much higher.  In this sector, the national women form 40% of the labour force - 57% of the nationals in the banking sector - and 27% of the decision makers.  UAE women have advanced to such a degree that they are now ready to play a direct role in the decision-making process of the country.

                Over 80% of the UAE employees within each of the Ministries of Health and Education are women.  Many are heads of departments - at par with many Western countries.  Strangely, when one thinks of how writers in the West portray Arab women as meek and servile, many UAE women are joining the military and police forces.

                Much of the gains women have achieved is due, in a large part, to the First Lady in the UAE, Sheikha Fatima who is married to a ruler who believes that women are half of the society.

                Encouraged by her husband Sheikh Zayed, she helped in the establishment, in 1972, of the first women's organization.  In 1975, she took a major part in the setting up of the UAE's Women Federation - an umbrella for all societies for women in the country.

                The goals of the federation, at that early date, were to assist in developing the image and self esteem of women, encouraging education and eradicating illiteracy among adult women, ensuring that social services and care reached needy women and their families, planning activities to raise culture standards, and building strong links with international women's organizations.

                With Sheikha Fatima's support, the Federation has been responsible for women taking their place in the work force.  They are now moving increasingly into such fields as architecture, banking, cosmetics, engineering, designing, insurance and all aspects of the media.  One of these successful females, an Emirate businesswoman, Farida Kamber, who was reported to have said, "Behind some veils lie the brightest of minds", was allotted the title of ‘Gulf Businesswoman of the Year’ for her accomplishment in establishing an interior design company.

                One of the First Lady's on-going campaigns is for the women of the UAE to work in the media and become members of the country's parliamentary assembly, the Federal National Council.  It is a campaign supported by Sheikh Zayed who has often said that a woman is an equal partner with her male compatriot in all walks of life and has the full right to participate in political life and decision-making.  

                The work of the Federation has even brought recognition from outside the borders of the UAE.  In late 1997, after visiting the UAE, Dr. Azizah Banani, Under Secretary of the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, remarked, "The efforts of HH Sheikha Fatima to encourage the UAE women to be effective members of the community should bring glory to all Arab women."

                In recognition of her tireless efforts in the sphere of development of women in the UAE, Sheikha Fatima, on 14 December 1997, was honoured simultaneously by five organizations of the United Nations.  These included citations and awards by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World's Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Volunteers Program (UNV), and the United Nations Development Fund for Women(UNIFEM).  These citations represented international recognition for Sheikha Fatima's leadership of the UAE women's movement for over a quarter of a century.

                In its lengthy citation UNIFEM, explaining the reasons for honouring Sheikha Fatima, noted her role in encouraging the women of the UAE to play their full part in the development of their rapidly growing and changing society.  As well, it honours her for consolidating the women's movement and giving it a sense of direction at the national level, and also for leading  the Women's Federation towards taking regional and global perspectives into account - noting the Federation has taken part in all international women's conferences since 1975.

                Describing her as ‘A Champion of Women's Rights’, and praising her ‘untiring work to bring about social justice’, UNIFEM praises her ‘for her tremendous efforts in putting women on the path of gaining access and participation in the political and economic institutions’.

                Commenting on the honouring of Sheikha Fatima by the United Nation Organizations, Sheikh Zayed described these citations as an honour for the women in the UAE, the Gulf and the people of the Arab nation as a whole who live in accordance with the teachings of Islam and Arab traditions.  "These eternal values reject the humiliation of the woman and call for her honouring and giving her all her rights", he added.     

                The UAE established the first Women's Army College in the Gulf region and is unique among the Gulf states in permitting women to join the armed forces and police.  They work alongside their male compatriots in the military and police forces in every position save those involving front-line combat.  The first batch of 59 women graduated, in 1992, from the Khawla Bint al-Azwar Training College, forming the basis for the creation of the special Women's Corps, which now includes hundreds of members. 

                In the field of art, Sheikha Maissoun al Qassimi was the first Gulf female Arab artist to have her work exhibited in 1995 on the Internet, as part of the Beijing Women's Conference.  In April 1997, a group of six young UAE women painters held the very successful ‘Tebra Exhibition’ at the Dubai World Trade Centre.  The exhibition featured the work of Sheikha Hessah bint Maktoum, Sheikha Sawsan al Maktoum, Sheikha Bodour al Qassimi, Maha al Mazroui, Khulood Mattar Rashid and Sara Majid al Futtaim, all of whom are under 25 years of age.

                With respect to sports, in the past a taboo for women, a few years ago a young lady in Dubai became the UAE's first female national karate black-belt.  Even more revolutionary, there is a growing acceptance of Emirate women actresses and singers.

                More than in any other country, women have leaped into the modern world. Supervising their staff in oil companies or government offices, attending universities or raising their children in the contemporary world, the UAE women still, in the main, cling to whatever is good in their centuries-old traditions.  One sees this everywhere - in their dress, evolved to fit into the modern age; conversation and proud bearing, they exhibit the best of the old and new.

                This was apparent to me on the hovercraft taking us on a three hour trip from the Arabian Nights city of Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital, to Sir Bani Yas, the UAE's modern Noah's Ark.  A UAE national with his mother, two sisters, wife and their half dozen children quietly sat in their seats.  Behind and in front of them sat other rowdy families from a myriad of nationalities. 

                Dressed in their traditional black cloaks called abayas and head covering or shayla, the UAE women sat still while they conversed with the well-dressed and well-behaved children.  Around them, the noisy expatriates' young ran around, bumping into each other and the seated passengers. 

                For me, this incident told the story of the UAE women - educated and dignified, raising their children in a modern world yet preserving the traditional values of their ancestors.  Unlike in many other societies in the developing world, the women in the UAE are bursting on to the world's stage in a modern-mature fashion and, as they move ahead, they do not reject the values of their age-old society.  The stubborn clinging to the traditions of the past has been replaced by an open-mindedness and a willingness to study and, for the sake of progress,  evaluate new ideas.

                Yet, to Westerners, women in the UAE and the remainder of the Arab countries, while alluring and mysterious, still generate a picture of oppressed females dominated and manipulated by their menfolk.  This in spite of the fact that the women in the UAE have advanced further and faster than those in many other countries in the world.

                However, even though the road to emancipation is well-trodden, the end is not yet in sight.  Some years ago, a study covering a cross-section of women, between 18 and 50 years old, was made by the UAE University at Al Ain which indicated that women were capable of making serious decisions.  However, the conservative attitude in most Arab societies greatly restricts women's skills and talents.    

                The traditional male dominated society remains a stumbling block to a true equality between the sexes.  Men can still take up to four wives and the male administered ways of honour still reign in the land.  Yet, this is beginning to change at an accelerating pace.  The doors are being pushed open but in a non-confronting manner.  Sheikha Fatima indicated during the UAE’s 31^st anniversary celebrations that a personal law is currently under preparation which will structure all areas relating to marriage, divorce, alimony, reconciliation of estranged couples and the custody of children. 

                However in spite of these obstacles, the UAE women are continually pushing ahead, but not discarding their most valued traditions.  Their role in the 21^st century can be no better described than in the words of Sheikha Fatima who in an interview with Gulf News in November 2003, on the eve of the 31st anniversary of UAE National Day, stated:

"I see myself as being behind a great man and my role is limited to being a wife and mother to the sons of a great leader." She continued, "I feel that I am at peace when I make sure that the President is in good health and when I see the smile of content in his eyes upon the achievement of something new."  As well, the status of motherhood was not to be forgotten, “Everyday I meet my grandchildren and follow my sons because motherhood is what I value the most."

                                                                                                                Habeeb Salloum