With a recently published report on working women in the public sector issued by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAGHR) as a backdrop, the Gender and Public Policy Program at the Dubai School of Government hosted Aisha Al Suwaidi to present findings and provide an assessment on the needs of working women in federal government at a seminar entitled “Working Women in Federal Government Sector Jobs: Assessment and recommendations for the UAE.” Al Suwaidi, who is the Acting CEO of HR Policies Sector at FAGHR, spoke to a public audience on 31 January, which included policymakers, academics, scholars, students researchers, and government officials and employees, as part of the Gender and Public Policy monthly seminar series. In addition to presenting the main findings of the report which surveyed 7,876 working women in the federal government, Al Suwaidi discussed issues such as HR decree 9 for the year 2011 on federal human resources, working women, work-life balance policies, career development opportunities and ideas to promote women's leadership development opportunities. Al Suwaidi said: “With women occupying over 65 percent of the Emirati workforce in the federal government and 75 percent of jobs in the education and the health sectors, there is a growing need for better HR practices that benefit working women in the UAE. Fostering a more supportive work environment is crucial to help women reach their fullest potential, which in turn benefits the country as a whole, both socially and economically.” Dr. May Al Dabbagh, Director of the Gender and Public Policy program and moderator of this seminar, emphasized the importance of supportive policies for working women. She said: “Our seminar showed that women play important productive and reproductive roles in our societies, even though these roles are not valued fairly in the current economic system. Based on the report discussed today, it is crucial that the findings translate into actual organization and national policies that support working women and their families on the ground.'” Maternity leave laws, part-time and flexi-time employment options and better compensations were among the key issues women in the public sector found as needing attention. Al Suwaidi added: “The report showed that over 72 per cent of working women prefer the option of part-time employment so that they can allocate adequate time to their children and families. In addition, 60 per cent of married mothers with children less than five years of age look for flexible working hours as a viable option.” Clearly, working mothers employed by the private sector, with far less benefits, are also likely to need better policies and frameworks to support their life transitions. Through hosting experts such as Aisha Al Suwaidi, the Gender and Public Policy program hopes to raise awareness on barriers women face and provide solutions that help working women attain a work-life balance. The program aims to theoretically and methodologically support rigorous research that conceptualizes and analyzes gender gaps in the Arab world, while linking the research to agendas and instruments for informed policy action. Today, it has become a nexus through which research projects, conferences, training and workshops, policy debates and academic programs on gender concerns are engaged. Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge and the dissemination of global best practices in the Arab world. The institution conducts various programs that seek to enhance the region's capacity for effective public policy. ** This is a press release BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/Vn7rD Tags: Labor, UAE, Work Section: Latest News, United Arab Emirates, Women
