Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) held the 9th Emirati Women’s Forum at DEWA Academy in Al Hudaiba, in celebration of Emirati Women’s Day 2023. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA attended the event, along with several officials. The event was broadcast live on DEWA’s internal and external channels to help all female employees attend the Forum as well as women committees at different organizations.
“It is my pleasure to celebrate the 9th Emirati Women’s Day with you, to honor Emirati women on their national day. On this annual occasion, we express our deepest gratitude to Emirati women’s pioneering and integral role in supporting the UAE’s prosperity and achieving a brighter and more sustainable future. Emirati Women’s Day is held under the theme ‘We Collaborate for Tomorrow’. This is especially important in the Year of Sustainability in the UAE under the theme ‘Today for Tomorrow’, as the countdown begins for the UAE to host COP 28, at Expo City Dubai in November. The conference will include all segments of society, especially women and youth, and will focus on their influential role in supporting climate action. This emphasizes the wise leadership’s great trust in women’s contribution in accelerating the path towards net zero. It also reflects the insightful vision to transform those most affected by the repercussions of climate change: women and girls, into an effective pillar in finding innovative solutions and building and implementing appropriate climate plans and policies for everyone,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.
“On Emirati Women’s Day, we proudly recall the accomplishments of Emirati women. These were achieved under the unlimited support for empowerment, set forth by the late Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace; and supported by the wise directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (Mother of the Nation), to continue the advancement of women at all levels, and upgrade their capabilities, energies, and skills, to remain a model of the primary and active partner in achieving growth and sustainable and comprehensive development. We are proud that Emirati women continue to prove their capabilities and constructive presence. They are the builders of generations and makers of men, leaving exceptional records, and achieving excellence in every field. Emirati women represent the best of the UAE in international forums,” added Al Tayer.
“At DEWA, we support the UAE and Dubai’s efforts to include women as influential stakeholders in climate action locally and globally. We enhance the active presence of female employees in the energy sector, especially renewable and clean energy, and sustainability, and encourage them to contribute to creating a positive and sustainable impact and accelerate the green economy. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. DEWA is one of the largest government organizations to employ women in technical positions within the energy sector in Dubai. This has made it a model for public and private entities in the UAE and abroad. In light of DEWA’s achievements in digital transformation and adopting the latest disruptive technologies, we provide equal opportunities for men and women, focusing on including women in decision-making and empowering them in all positions. DEWA currently has 1,936 female employees working in all our divisions. This includes 734 female employees in the engineering and technical sector, while 422 female employees occupy leadership positions at DEWA. Emirati female employees constitute 84% of the total female workforce at DEWA. DEWA provides a positive, motivational, and happy work environment that supports female employees and helps them prove their capability and competence. Our female employees record daily achievements that guide our global excellence and leadership journey, as one of the best utilities worldwide. We are confident that the inspiring example of Emirati women will continue to be a motivation to achieve further success and accomplishments. I wish all Emirati women more strength and accomplishments,” said Al Tayer.
“DEWA celebrates Emirati Women’s Day, in implementation of the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (Mother of the Nation), in appreciation of the Emirati women’s efforts and recognition of their effective role in society. Emirati Women’s Day Forum, which is conducted for the 9th consecutive year, is considered a unified and sustainable platform, which the DEWA Women Committee is keen to conduct yearly, to shed light on the inspirational Emirati women, externally and within DEWA. The theme of the Forum this year, “We Collaborate for Tomorrow”, in conjunction with the Year of Sustainability, carries an important message on the UAE’s role in the field of sustainable development, especially the role of the DEWA female cadre, and leads to solutions in the fields of energy and climate change,” said Fatima Al Jokar, Chairperson of DEWA Women’s Committee in her speech during the Forum.
The Forum included a discussion session entitled ‘The Emirati Woman… Soft Power for Ambitious Aspirations’, which highlighted the tangible role of Emirati Women in supporting sustainable development. The session saw the participation of Marwa Al Awadhi, Head of the Awareness and Energy Conservation section at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure; and Reem Al Hammadi, International Relations Executive at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre. The session was moderated by Fatima Al Jokar. Moreover, the Forum showcased success stories of Emirati female engineers in a session entitled ‘The Emirati Women… A Shining Beacon in Green Buildings. The session saw the participation of several DEWA female employees, including Fatma Al Shamsi; Noora Al Hammadi; and Sara Al Ali. The Forum also included a panel discussion entitled ‘Together… For the Sustainability of Achievements’, which highlighted successful female role models who contribute to enhancing DEWA’s sustainability efforts. Athbeh AlShehhi, Maha Alshehhi, and Hamada Awad participated in the session, which was moderated by Khuloud Alzarooni.
HE Al Tayer honored the Forum’s speakers and a number of DEWA’s Emirati female employees who contributed effectively to supporting DEWA’s global excellence and leadership, as part of its annual approach to recognizing outstanding Emirati female employees. The Forum featured a video on the most prominent successes of the DEWA Women’s Committee and the achievements of several Emirati female employees. DEWA Academy also hosted an interactive exhibition of traditional Emirati crafts and handmade products.
