A high-level United Nations panel on women’s economic empowerment will be held in Dubai next month.
The event is being hosted by the UAE Gender Balance Council and will take place on Monday and Tuesday next week, Dubai Media Office said.
The panel was set up by former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and comprises business, academic and civil society leaders, as well as government representatives.
Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed, president of the council and wife of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, welcomed the meeting.
"Our country has been pioneering in investing in women’s economic empowerment, which matches the objectives of the panel, in terms of increasing women’s participation in the economy and empowering them in holding key position in the domains of sustainable development," said Sheikha Manal.
The UAE has 23,000 businesswomen running investments estimated at about Dh50 billion, she said.
Co-chairwomen of the panel include Luis Guillermo Solis, president of Costa Rica, and Simona Scarpaleggia, chief executive of Ikea Switzerland.
Other panel members represent the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, UN Women and other groups.

Source: The National