UAE history denies Tunisian allegations of demeaning women

By Dalia Al-Hamshary

In a move that could sour the relations between UAE and Tunis, presidential spokeswoman, Saida Garrach, announced that her country suspended Emirates airlines flights from landing in Tunis.

Garrach said that Tunis could not “accept the way Tunisian women have been treated.

Meanwhile, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said that the rights of Tunisian women could not to be violated whatever the justification.

The reason behind Tunis’ Anger is that UAE received information about potential terror attacks from those who returned from Syria and Iraq by Tunisian women.

Apart from this row between the both countries, UAE’s history on respecting women’s rights undoubtedly affirms that Tunisian allegations of demeaning women are a sheer slander aimed at distorting the country’s image.

The brotherly Gulf country has a pioneering role model for supporting feminism and consolidating the women’s role in society in recent decades.

UAE was ranked internationally first in 2015 among countries that respect women’s rights.

UAE has a proven track records of enhancing women’s position as an important element in the Emirati community.

General Federation for Women, chaired by Fatma bint Mubarak, is a considerable evidence of the state’s achievements on Women’s issues.

The Emirati reputable institution is a milestone in enabling women to take significant positions in the society since it was established early 1970s.

On political level, women gained five seats in UAE’s cabinet and the younger one is 22 years old.

On diplomatic level, the state appointed a woman as a permanent member for the UN and seven others were also assigned as ambassadors to several countries.

Women contributed, as well, to taking part in business and labour market.

According to latest statistics, there are more than 22 thousand women working in domestic and foreign market.

The posh state provided the UN with $5M in 2014 to contribute promoting feminism and supporting such programs in the world’s countries.