World Government Summit: Gender Balance Forum and Women in Govt Forum to be held in Dubai from 13-15 February

Dubai: The Gender Balance Forum and the Women in Government Forum will be held at the World Government Summit in Dubai from 13-15 February, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of the Dubai Women Establishment, and wife of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court.

The two Forums will bring together thought leaders from around the region and the world to discuss new ways to advance gender equality and women's participation in government. Both events will feature a rich dialogue between global leaders, officials from the public and private sectors, and representatives from international organisations with expertise in developing gender policies.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the two Forums have been created to encourage a rich exchange of viewpoints on improving gender balance and fulfilling UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, which is concerned with gender balance and the empowerment of girls and women. In adopting and attaining the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which were unveiled at the UN General Assembly in 2015 and incorporated into its strategic plans, Her Highness said that the UAE is a global leader in doing so.

The third edition of the Women in Government Forum, to be held at WGS 2023, under the theme ‘Ready for Leadership: Shaping the Agenda for the Future’, provides a global platform for governments to pledge their support and solidify their commitment to empowering women. Bringing together 400 global women government leaders and 20 speakers, the Forum seeks to build a global network of women leaders in the public sector to support, nurture and mentor the new generation of



women leaders.

Arab and international women government leaders participating in the Forum include HE Jessica Alupo, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, HE Naglaa Boden, Prime Minister of Tunisia and the Arab world’s first female Prime Minister, HE Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, HE Thea Tsulukiani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia, HE Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, HE Dr. Rania Al Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation of Egypt, HE Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt and Ministerial Coordinator and Envoy of the COP27 Climate Conference, HE Khadija Naseem, Minister of State for Environment, Climate Change and Technology of the Maldives, and HE Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Climate Pioneer at COP28.

The gender Balance Forum to be held at the World Government Summit 2023 reflects UAE’s commitment to be a global and regional role model in advancing gender balance. The discussions at the Forum will generate a wealth of insights on new directions, mechanisms and initiatives that can help close the gender balance gap worldwide. 

The Gender Balance Forum will look at ways to deepen partnerships between the government and the private sector to advance the economic empowerment of women and overcome the challenges they face, she added.

The World Government Summit 2023 will be held under the theme of “Shaping Future Governments” from 13th to 15th of February 2023. The Summit will bring thought leaders, global experts and decision-makers from around the globe to share and contribute to the development of tools, policies, and models that are essential in shaping future governments.