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In a move to redefine women’s roles in global security, the General Women’s Union, under the visionary leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and Mother of the Nation, has welcomed its fourth cohort of the ground-breaking Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace, and Security initiative.
The scheme brings together female military personnel from not only the UAE but nations across the world to Abu Dhabi for an intensive training programme.
This initiative, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC, showcases the UAE’s dedication to bolstering women’s contributions to dialogue, peace, security, and development on both a national and global scale.
As she welcomed the new set of trainees, Her Highness expressed her admiration for the UAE’s strides in fostering female leadership and their significant involvement in peace and security, the Emirates News Agency reported.
She emphasised that this programme is a testament to the country’s visionary leadership, which recognises the crucial role of women in all areas as a pillar of societal progress.
Military personnel from ten nations are participating in this cohort: the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Tanzania, The Gambia, Liberia, Pakistan, Kosovo, and Kyrgyzstan.
The Programme
Designed to develop women’s skills in peace and security, build supportive networks, enhance women’s presence in military and peacekeeping roles, and improve operational efficiency, the training will extend until September.
Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs, was quoted as saying, “Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s initiative to empower women in peace and security aligns with the UAE’s commitment to supporting the vital roles of women in conflict zones. Women are essential in achieving peace and security. The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing all necessary support to ensure the success of this initiative, including military training programmes supervised by the Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School.”
As part of the initiative, the Khawla Bint Al Azwar Military School in Abu Dhabi is offering an extensive training curriculum, covering Jiu-Jitsu, physical fitness, military security, police security, internal security, peacebuilding, weapons training, intelligence, military topography, battle skills, field skills, patrols, chemical warfare, urban combat, field engineering, combat medics training, and infantry tactics.
This programme aims to create new career opportunities for women, encouraging them to join national security forces and peacekeeping missions. It also aims to develop interpersonal skills such as leadership and public speaking.
Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the General Women’s Union, expressed great pride in welcoming the fourth cohort. She highlighted that the UAE is using its expertise to empower women worldwide, promoting the agenda under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
An introductory session was conducted for the cadets, outlining the initiative and its goals, focusing on the importance of peace for sustainable development and coexistence.
The session featured speeches from Al Anoud Yousef, Acting Executive Director of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Center for Women, Peace, and Security, and Dr Mouza Al Shehhi, Director of the UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC. David Fernandez, Permanent Observer at the United Nations University for Peace, led a discussion on “Education for Peace”.
