Message of HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA on International Women’s Day

Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality.” This theme revolves around accelerating the 2030 Agenda, and building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals, as adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to tackle poverty, non-equality, and climate change.

Thanks to the vision and directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the roles that women have in the empowerment of society is the result of sustainable development throughout the UAE, especially in higher education. DEWA’s female employees enjoy a secure, stable environment that allows them to grow their skillset and abilities, and encourages them to innovate to achieve DEWA’s goals.

We fully support the Leadership’s strategy to enhance the economic and social empowerment of women, and their further integration into the energy sector. Energy plays a major role in the economic and social development of all nations, and so empowering women has become a key element in the development process. DEWA provides women with attractive job opportunities and training courses, and an inspiring work environment that encourages female employees to develop their skills and abilities. DEWA has employed 1,700 female employees across its divisions, 559 of whom work in engineering and other technical domains.

Emirati Nationals comprise 77% of DEWA’s female workforce, who all work at the highest levels of efficiency. DEWA is one of the biggest government organisations to employ women within the energy sector in technical positions, such as engineering.

DEWA is one of the first government organisations to establish child care centres to support its working mothers, and also trains all female employees to keep up to date with the latest procedures, enabling them to continuously enhance their abilities. DEWA has become a role model for gender equality, and encouraging the participation of women in all its operations.

DEWA adopts all regulations to enhance the role women play as key factors in the UAE’s development process. As HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum once said, “The UAE went beyond the stage of women's empowerment. We are now empowering the community through women.”