The Gender Balance Guide: Actions for UAE Organisations

As the UAE continues on its journey to become one of the top countries in the world for gender balance by 2021, having a clear framework to embed and raise awareness about greater equality within the workplace is essential for organisations to bring about meaningful change.

The Gender Balance Guide: Actions for UAE Organisations has been developed to meet this need, by providing concrete actions that entities within both the private and public sectors can implement to promote gender balance across the UAE.

Drawing on the international best practices, standards and recommendations of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, member countries, this guide – the first-of-its-kind for the region – will support UAE organisations in creating gender sensitive environments that empower men and women to participate across all sectors.

Gender balance progress will be measured through a number of national indicators, including two KPIs outlined in the UAE Vision 2021 – the Social Cohesion Index and the Happiness Index – which are dedicated to promoting a Cohesive Society and Preserved Identity.

The new Gender Balance Indicators, GBIs, are another key factor in evaluating improvement, with a focus on women in leadership positions, women in specialised and technical fields, and building workplaces that support gender balance.

Achieving the goals set out by the UAE Vision 2021 KPIs and GBIs is paramount to meeting the needs and priorities of employees across the country, and establishing gender friendly organisations which are better-placed to contribute to the country’s ongoing development and to societal well-being.

Progress will also be measured through three levels – bronze, silver and gold. Bronze-level organisations demonstrate organisational commitment to gender balance, as well as efforts to promote awareness and achieve national gender balance indicators.

Organisations which have progressed to gender balance distinction at silver level are engaged in developing a Gender Balance Action Plan, the successful use of Gender Impact Assessments, GIAs, for policy and programme design, and the measurement of progress. Gold-level organisations achieve gender balance excellence through the implementation of advanced gender balance practices, the successful use of GIAs for budgeting, and taking action to support other organisations and share lessons learned.

As a reference tool for gender balance in the region, the guide encompasses five key action areas, including commitment and oversight; integrating gender into policies and programmes; promoting gender sensitive engagement of personnel; improving gender balance in leadership and gender sensitive communication.

Through successfully implementing the actions and recommendations outlined across these areas, organisations throughout the UAE have an opportunity to create a friendly and inclusive environment for all.