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In the UAE, the workforce participation rate among females is 54.9%, and among males is 92.6% for 2022, according to the World Bank. This difference is due to, among many factors, the gender imbalance in certain traditionally male-dominant sectors, such as the industrial field. 

To improve the participation of women in the industrial sector workforce, the UAE’s leaders in manufacturing are collaborating to launch a campaign — The Challenger Program. 

The program, announced at the Inclusion Summit in Abu Dhabi, is in partnership with social enterprise Aurora50 and under the patronage of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE.) 

The campaign involves Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) bringing ADNOC, DUCAB, Emirates Steel Arkan, Siemens, Strata Manufacturing, Taqa, and TechnipFMC together to promote gender equality in the industrial sector.

“Gender balance is not just a moral obligation, but a smart business choice,” said Abdullah Al Nuaimi, assistant undersecretary of MOHRE. 

He urged others to join the program and play a role in gender balance to be “woven into the fabric of corporate culture.”

Yaser Almazrouei, executive director at ADNOC Group, said ADNOC has 900 females leading critical projects and operations on many of its onshore and offshore sites. 

EGA is also seeking to increase the number of women in supervisory roles to 25% by 2025, a rise from the current 20%.