The Importance and Impacts of the United Nations Policies on United Arab Emirates' Gender Equality

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the extent to which general policies and recommendations of the United Nations (UN) were effective for gender equality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The impact and role of international organizations in various countries were examined through case studies, often highlighting European Union countries as models of best practices. Research conducted in war-torn, conflict-affected, and undemocratic countries has revealed shortcomings in terms of gender equality. The UAE, as a Middle Eastern Muslim-majority country and a federal presidential elected monarchy, has made significant progress in gender equality by adopting the recommendations of the Beijing Conference 1995 and setting national strategies and action plans to implement these recommendations. This makes the UAE a unique case to study and contribute to the literature on gender equality, with the aim of investigating how these international initiatives influence the country's gender equality dynamics. Gender equality can be measured in terms of many aspects, but in this study, it is analyzed in terms of representation, employment, and women's rights through primary and secondary sources as well as in-depth interviews conducted with Emirati women. The main contribution of this study will be to assess the effectiveness and impact of the UN policies in advancing the gender ambitions of the UAE, while also examining the extent to which these policies equally benefit all women across the country.