"Key Findings on Women in the Economy: UAE Outlook", April 2018

... [T]his report... analyse[s] the level of women’s engagement in the workforce in the UAE across four key sectors: Energy and Environment; Healthcare and Wellness; Finance and Investment; and ICT and STEM... Across all sectors, gender-based biases and stereotypes were viewed as barriers for women engaging in the workforce. Apart from the Finance and Investments sector, survey respondents across all sectors perceived demanding work hours and conditions as one of the challenges to women’s career advancement. In the Finance and Investment and ICT and STEM sectors, the lack of policies supporting women’s advancement was highlighted as a key element hindering women from progressing in their careers. In contrast, the Energy and Environment sector, the lack of technical knowledge and skills were among the top three challenges women face. When asked about what organisations could do to address the obstacles to women’s engagement in the workforce, 74% of survey respondents viewed flexibility for work and life balance as essential. Second, active consideration of women in recruitment policies and succession planning, followed by policies that nurture a company culture that acknowledges gender bias are important...