Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 26, 2024 – The opening day of the highly anticipated Global Women’s Forum Dubai (GWFD) 2024 saw a pivotal session devoted to discussing the World Bank’s ‘Women, Business, and the Law Report’ at the Global Connect hub. Bringing together some of the world’s leading voices in women’s economic empowerment, the session highlighted critical global challenges to women’s livelihoods and explored innovative approaches to measuring women’s rights and economic opportunities.

 

Presented by distinguished experts from the World Bank and esteemed regional leaders, the session was moderated by Iva Hamel, Resident Representative for UAE and Bahrain, World Bank, with Her Excellency Wafa Bani Moustafa, Minister of Social Development, Kingdom of Jordan; Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Center and Board Member of the UAE Gender Balance Council; and Tea Trumbic, Manager of Women, Business, and the Law, Global Indicators Group, World Bank.

 

This critical discussion focused on the intersection of women’s rights, legal frameworks, and their implementation, and addressed key questions such as:

 

• Are laws designed to ensure equality truly enabling women to thrive?
• How do supportive frameworks such as pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms impact women in the workplace?
• What insights do experts offer on bridging the gap between policy and practice?

 

The report has solidified its position as a vital tool for measuring women’s economic empowerment, with ten editions published. The latest 2024 report introduces two ground-breaking indicators, Safety and Childcare, which provide critical insights into the policies and frameworks needed to support women’s continued participation in the labour force. The report expands its scope beyond legislative analysis by addressing these pressing areas, setting a new frontier in assessing women’s rights and highlighting the intersection of laws, supportive mechanisms, and real-world progress.

 

The Women, Business, and the Law Report includes 10 innovative indicators to measure women’s rights within economies, assessing: Safety, Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Childcare, Entrepreneurship, Assets and Pension. Through these measurable indicators, the report provides a comprehensive overview of women’s economic opportunities and the barriers they continue to face.

 

Empowering women: a catalyst for global growth

 

The session underscored the transformative impact of empowering women on the global economy. Higher female labour force participation, increased women-owned businesses, and equitable wages can turbocharge economic resilience and innovation worldwide. Research shows that inclusive policies and gender-balanced economies contribute to more robust, resilient societies.

 

Tea Trumbic, Manager of Women, Business, and the Law, Global Indicators Group, World Bank, said: “It is encouraging to see so many legal reforms at the forefront – these laws are actually doing what they are meant to be doing.”

 

Her Excellency Wafa Bani Moustafa, Minister of Social Development, Kingdom of Jordan, said: “I believe that the Women, Business and the Law report has a significant importance in increasing women’s active participation in the economy and presents an opportunity to unleash women’s potential.”

 

Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, a prominent leader in the UAE’s gender equality initiatives, emphasised: “The UAE is committed to fostering gender equality through progressive legal frameworks and actionable policies – the Women, Business and the Law report is an eye opener that helps us realise that we need to ensure we deliver change for women and men in the UAE, while ensuring our reforms align with our cultural values and are guided by Sharia principles.”

 

This session is a key highlight of GWFD 2024’s agenda, reaffirming the forum’s mission to amplify women’s voices, challenge systemic barriers, and create actionable strategies for progress.

 

 

-ENDS-

 

About Dubai Women Establishment

Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) was formed as a statutory body of Dubai Government in 2006 under law no. (24) by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. DWE aims to enhance the professional and leadership capabilities of women, increase their participation in the comprehensive development journey, and strengthen their role in shaping the economic and social future of Dubai, by proposing and developing relevant and impactful policies. DWE is headed by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, President of DWE and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court. DWE’s strategic plan for 2023-2027 includes three pillars: creating an enabling environment for women in the labour market, developing women leaders, and enhancing the quality of life for women in society, through which DWE seeks to achieve its vision of “Dubai as a pioneering model for women-friendly cities.” The new strategic plan focuses on contributing to the strengthening of supporting legislation and policies, consolidating partnerships and allowing women to influence locally and globally.

 

About Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 

The Global Women’s Forum Dubai (GWFD) provides a platform to explore new strategies for enhancing gender balance and raising women’s participation in the economy and society worldwide. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, GWFD reflects the UAE’s leadership in advancing gender equality and its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5: Gender Equality. Since its inception eight years ago, the forum has become a leading international gathering for fostering dialogue and collaboration to address challenges and opportunities for women worldwide. With a rich agenda featuring diverse discussions, transformative workshops, and impactful speakers, GWFD brings together thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators to inspire progress toward building a more inclusive and sustainable future. The 2024 edition of GWFD, themed The Power of Influence, takes place on November 26-27 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, gathering over 6,000 participants, 250 speakers and 25 prominent figures and ministers from across the globe. The 130 panel discussions at the forum centre on three pillars: Future Economies and Societies, Collective Engagements and Actions, and Impactful Technologies and Innovations.