This article is written by Ohood Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future in the United Arab Emirates.

  • The problem: There are not enough women in leadership positions across government.

  • Why it matters: Research indicates that organisations led by women have greater success, both in and outside government.

  • The solution: Following the research and recognising the importance of there being more women in leadership roles.

The world needs more women in leadership roles, and today’s International Women’s Day should amplify that message. This is not simply about closing a gender gap, it is about shaping a better tomorrow.

Studies by the OECD have outlined that companies with greater gender diversity, not just within their workforce but directly among senior leaders, are significantly more successful. Gender diversity positively affects quality of work, and women’s participation in economic and public life strengthens economic growth, equitable governance and public trust, from the community level to the top of policymaking circles. When the people who set public policy are more representative of the societies they serve, they enjoy greater public trust, and focus more on issues such as human development, and public service delivery. Yet, the OECD does note that only a few countries exceed 40% representation in the top echelons of civil service, and women leaders are often connected to social portfolios. In the private sector, a study by McKinsey & Company showed that for every 10% increase in gender diversity in executive management, earnings before interest and taxes rose by 3.5%.

In 2019, the proportion of women in senior management roles, both public and private, globally grew to 29%, the highest number ever recorded. This is great progress, but there is much to be done. In public life, women’s access to public leadership positions remains elusive across the world. Women comprise only one in five parliamentarians and just 27% of judges worldwide. According to global data by UN Women in 2021, only 21% of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50% or more women in their cabinets.

In the MENA region, we are also making great progress. Not a month passes without another announcement enabling women. This is especially true today in the UAE. In 2021, the Women, Peace and Security Index ranked the UAE first in MENA on women’s inclusion, justice, and security. The UAE was also ranked as a leading country in gender equality in the region, according to the World Economic Forum's 2021 Global Gender Gap report. In fact, the UAE is number one globally where women reported feeling safest. These achievements come from the fundamental belief that women and men are equal partners in society.

In the business world, the UAE had the highest number of women on Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen in 2020 with 23 Emirati women on the list. In the public sector, women’s participation is particularly strong as women hold two-thirds of public sector jobs in the UAE, and 30% in diplomatic roles. Today women in the UAE also represent 50% of the Federal National Council, and 27.5% of cabinet ministerial roles, leading strategic portfolios like climate change, food security, youth, future, international affairs, and advanced technology and space.

If you visit any government agency in the UAE today, you are sure to encounter young Emirati women who reflect the future of our country: young, professional, and full of energy.

This is driven by advances in the education of women. Today, 77% of Emirati women enrol in higher education and, more importantly, they represent 56% of the UAE’s public university graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These numbers are impressive, but the biggest “hidden” potential is yet to come. Today, the UAE has a gender gap that does not get sufficient coverage and debate. This gap favours women. While girls slightly outperformed boys in science (by two points) on average across OECD countries in the 2018 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), in the UAE girls outperform boys in science by 26 points. This will likely have a profound impact on future generations. The same gap is clear in the 2015 TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) where the average science score for women is 31 points higher than for men, one of the largest gaps worldwide. For comparison, the difference was 1 point in Singapore, 3 in South Korea, and 5 in the USA.

In 2021, the Government Development and the Future Office of the UAE Government launched two initiatives targeting “Future Skills for Women” in partnership with EY and LinkedIn. The initiatives aimed to equip young Emirati women with the skills for future jobs and increase their contribution to the UAE economy. Applications exceeded our expectations. The future world of work will be tech-enabled and STEM-driven — the future is being shaped by the UAE’s vision, and by global trends, will be increasingly in the hands of Emirati women.

When women become leaders, they provide a different set of skills, imaginative perspectives, and, importantly, the kinds of structural and cultural differences that drive effective solutions. The evidence shows that female leaders typically have more compassion and empathy, and a more open and inclusive negotiation style. Today, the term “feminine leadership” is a style of management that is being adopted by leaders of all genders. It is used as shorthand for an approach that places an emphasis on empathy, humility, and relationship dynamics in an organisation. The result can deliver a more considered decision-making process and subsequent action.

Women leaders can also provide better mentorship, especially for the younger generation. Regardless of a person’s gender, all people need someone who will guide them to progress in their careers. Specifically, for mentoring and coaching young talent, women leaders are better mentors than men.

For all these reasons, the future is female. It is not one in which women overtake men, but one that is balanced and builds to equality. Today, we need to work hard to close the gender gap at the highest levels of leadership in the public sector around the world. In 2022, the UAE will organise the 8th World Government Summit and will start convening the Women in Public Leadership Forum, inviting aspiring female public leaders from around the world to engage with role models and ignite their ambition. The public sector is essentially about solving the problems of the whole of society, and, for a better tomorrow, we need more women in public leadership. In short, female leaders can change the way global solutions are forged for a more sustainable and prosperous tomorrow.

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