The UAE’s leadership in empowering women in technology is a powerful embodiment of the 2025 IWD theme, “Accelerate Action.” By blending visionary governance, STEM education, and private-sector innovation, the UAE is not just keeping pace but setting the pace for gender equality in the digital era.
The UAE’s commitment to empowering women in technology is not only a testament to its progressive values but also a recognition of the vital role women play in driving innovation and economic growth. As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, let us continue accelerating action towards gender parity in tech and empower women to reach their full potential.
Today in celebration of International Women’s Day 2025, we shine a spotlight on the UAE’s remarkable strides in empowering women in the technology sector. Aligned with this year’s theme of “Accelerate Action,” the UAE has emerged as a global leader in fostering gender diversity and inclusion in tech.
According to the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap Report, the UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 17th globally in terms of gender parity. In the technology sector, women account for an impressive 30% of the workforce, significantly higher than the global average of 25%.
This progress is attributed to the UAE government’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and the implementation of various initiatives aimed at empowering women in technology. These initiatives include mentorship programs, skill development workshops, and policies that promote flexible work arrangements.
The UAE’s commitment is reflected in its top ranking for gender parity in the Arab world, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023. The report highlights the UAE’s strides in closing gender gaps, achieving full parity in parliamentary representation in 2024 and boasting a 77% higher education enrollment rate for women. In technology specifically, Emirati women are breaking barriers. The UAE’s focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has resulted in significant female participation, with women constituting a growing share of the tech workforce. For instance, the UAE Space Agency’s Mars Mission, led by Sarah Al Amiri—Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology—features a team that is 80% female, showcasing women’s leadership in cutting-edge innovation.
Recent World Economic Forum research underscores the urgency of this acceleration. The Future of Jobs Report 2023 predicts that 75% of surveyed companies will adopt AI, big data, and cloud technologies within the next five years, reshaping the global workforce. Yet, the Global Gender Gap Report 2023 warns that at the current pace, full gender parity won’t be achieved until 2158—over 130 years from now. The UAE is defying this timeline by proactively equipping women with digital skills and leadership opportunities. Initiatives like the UAE’s National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023-2031 aim to boost women’s participation across all sectors, with a strong emphasis on technology. Programs such as the Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) and Abu Dhabi Women’s Council (ADWC) provide training, mentorship, and networking, fostering female tech entrepreneurs and professionals.
The private sector is also stepping up. Emirati women feature prominently on global lists, with the UAE ranking second in the number of women on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen 2024. Companies in the UAE are increasingly adopting gender-inclusive policies, aligning with the WEF’s call for businesses to drive sustainable growth through diversity. This momentum is further fueled by cultural shifts—evidenced by the UAE’s legal reforms, such as outlawing pay discrimination—creating an ecosystem where women in tech can thrive.
New data from Coursera reveals that women represent 23.8% of GenAI learners in the UAE, lower than the global average of 31%. This highlights a persistent gender gap in this critical field, especially concerning given the UAE’s impressive 1,102% growth in GenAI course enrollments in 2024.
While women comprise 56% of government university STEM graduates in the UAE, this educational success isn’t translating to GenAI participation, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Globally, only 36% of women believe GenAI can advance their careers, compared to 45% of men, further accentuating the need for focused efforts to change perceptions and provide opportunities.
This aligns with UAE Minister Noura Al Kaabi’s recent World Governments Summit address, which emphasized AI’s impact on gender equality and the need for integrating AI into education. Her call for gender equality to be a fundamental principle by 2045 emphasizes the urgency of this issue, particularly as women currently hold only about 11% of board positions in the UAE, demonstrating a significant leadership gap.
Dr. Alexandra Urban, Learning Science Research Lead at Coursera, said: “The UAE’s commitment to bridging the gender gap in technology is commendable. A diverse and inclusive tech workforce is essential for driving innovation, especially in traditionally male-dominated fields like AI. While progress is evident, expanding opportunities for women in GenAI, equipping them with critical skills, and empowering them to lead in the digital economy remains an urgent priority.”
Tahawultech.com — host of Women in Technology Forum and Awards 2025 — brings to you leading voices in the UAE today to celebrate IWD 2025 in accelerating individual’s role that shape the future of women in this progress-driven futuristic nation.
Vibha Thusu, Industrial Automation (IA) eCommerce Program Leader – Marketing & Communications at Schneider Electric
The theme ‘Accelerate Action’ for IWD 2025 is a powerful call to stop talking and start doing. We’ve spent years discussing diversity and inclusion, but it’s now time to move from awareness to tangible action. For the tech industry, this means embedding these values into every layer of the organization.
Joumana Karam, Head of Marketing at Acer Middle East and Manager of Business Development
On a corporate level, It is critical that HR policies and practices are adapted to further accommodate women in the workplace without causing them to sacrifice their important roles within their families. This could include flexible working hours, equal advancement opportunities, and customized training on diversity.
Martine Billmann, Marketing Manager, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Genetec
We are committed to fostering a fair, inclusive, and high-performing workplace—one where diversity is not just welcomed but actively embraced, respected, and encouraged. By prioritizing inclusive policies and creating an environment where all talent can thrive, we can accelerate progress and build stronger, more innovative teams.
Dr. Priyanka Sainani, Founder at Hygge
As a bootstrapped founder, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is to break into spaces that actually make room for women leaders, not just as token speakers, but as thought leaders shaping industries. We need more ‘unbiased’ stages that amplify women-led innovation platforms where female founders can showcase their work, ideas, and solutions to the right audience and investors. The future of tech isn’t just about “including” women. It’s about backing them.
Franziska Huber, PR & Communications Lead for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Western Digital
Companies can actively encourage early interest in STEM professions by participating in school partnerships or sponsoring workshops (e.g., WD All Girls Hackathon). Businesses should also revise their recruitment and promotion strategies by using gender-neutral language, ensuring diverse decision-making panels and applying gender-neutral criteria like skills, effort, responsibilities and working conditions.
Fadia Ayad, Senior Director & Country Manager, UAE & Gulf, F5
Organisations must create a more welcoming space for women interested in IT roles, including ensuring that recruitment processes are free from unconscious bias, getting the right processes in place to ensure women feel comfortable in their role, and encouraging women to pursue new roles, including promotions, within the organisation.
Kanessa Muluneh, Investor/Serial Entrepreneur
Women stand out by default in male-dominated industries like tech. Tech companies need to realise that women always juggle multiple responsibilities. Helping women manage all their responsibilities will make them perform better. Think about offering childcare at work or working from home possibilities. This will make life easier for your female employees easier and make them more available for work.
Heather Mahalik Barnhart, SANS Fellow and DFIR Curriculum Lead
“Accelerate Action” is exactly what we need. Real change happens when we stop just talking and start doing. That means creating opportunities, mentoring women in tech, and actively challenging the biases that still exist. I’ve seen firsthand that when we push for real action. Whether it’s hiring, promoting, or simply ensuring women’s voices are heard, it does move the needle. It’s not about waiting for change, it’s about making it happen now.
Morgan Demboski, Threat intelligence analyst, Sophos
I take pride in our commitment to addressing the gender pay gap. Our HR and leadership teams conduct comprehensive reviews, implement structured budgets, and establish sustainable processes to ensure fair pay and career growth opportunities for women in cybersecurity. Encouraging self-confidence is key—something I believe is vital for everyone, especially women navigating this field.
Aparna T A, senior enterprise analyst, ManageEngine
To accelerate action on closing the gender gap in the tech industry, we need to take bold and impactful steps. First, leaders should actively mentor and sponsor junior women, ensuring they have the same support provided to men to rise into leadership roles. It’s also crucial to increase the representation of women at tech summits, giving them platforms to inspire others and showcase their contributions to the industry.
Prakriti Singh, Senior Vice President for Acceptance, Digital and New Infrastructure, EEMEA, Mastercard
Closing the gender gap in technology requires a multi-faceted approach driven by both the organizational ecosystem and the workforce, starting with inclusive hiring, mentorship, and leadership programs that empower women at every stage of their careers.
Dr. Fatma Taher, Associate Professor, Assistant Dean for Research and Outreach at Zayed University
To accelerate action and close the gender gap in tech by IWD 2025, the industry must commit to transparent diversity goals, invest in STEM education for girls, and create inclusive workplaces. Promoting women to leadership roles, addressing pay gaps, fostering male allyship, and supporting women returning to tech are critical.
Dr. Sana Amairi-Pyka, Lead Scientist for Quantum Communications at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
In quantum science, women are significantly underrepresented. Beyond encouraging more women to enter the field, we must ensure they have the mentorship, funding, and leadership opportunities to stay and succeed.
Amal Al Marri, STEM Program Manager at ASPIRE
Industry leaders must invest in mentorship, ensuring women have role models to guide them. Companies should commit to inclusive hiring and leadership development, embedding diversity in decision-making. Finally, visibility matters. When women see others leading in AI and STEM, they believe, ‘That could be me.’ By removing barriers and fostering real opportunities, we accelerate action for lasting change.
Fatma Ashkanani, Chief Corporate Officer at Khazna Data Centers
The tech industry must act decisively to close the gender gap.. When businesses prioritize gender equity, they don’t just empower women; they fuel innovation and long-term success. Now is the time to accelerate action.
Rania Wehbi, IBM Business Unit Leader at Gulf Business Machines (GBM)
To close the gender gap in tech, the industry must take decisive action. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented, particularly in leadership and decision-making roles, with unconscious bias continuing to influence hiring and promotion. To drive real change, organizations must implement measurable policies such as gender diversity targets in leadership and pay equity audits, ensuring accountability.
Louise Bou Rached, Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Milestone Systems
To genuinely accelerate action in closing the gender gap, it’s important for the tech industry to prioritize these initiatives. By putting people first and recognizing the diverse experiences and contributions that everyone brings to the table, we create workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Sara Lewis, Director of Communications, EMEA, Cloudera
We can accelerate action in the workplace by changing the industry narrative. Amplifying women’s voices and visibility across all departments in an organisation will emphasise the breadth of opportunity in our dynamic industry. We also need to show leaders how diversity in teams not only brings different skills and behaviours but truly adds value and drives progress – whether it’s a project, organisation or country.
Professor May El Barachi, Head of the School of Computer Science, Engineering, and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong in Dubai
Companies must actively promote women into senior leadership roles, providing visible role models who inspire the next generation. Diverse boardrooms ensure broader perspectives that shape inclusive innovations. Finally, education and awareness are key—hands-on tech workshops and events for girls can normalize STEM fields and make them more accessible, accelerating progress toward true gender equity in the industry.
Maya Kreidy, EMEA Category lead – Security & Observability ISVs, AWS
To close the gender gap in tech, companies can create diverse panels to guide hiring practices and policies, ensuring fair decision making. Offering flexible working hours makes tech careers more appealing to women with various obligations. Diversity is essential as it brings fresh perspectives, enhances creativity, and improves problem-solving, driving innovation and better customer connections.
