From women's empowerment to climate diplomacy, the UAE's rising global stature demonstrates that when political will, investment in education and leadership commitment combine, real transformation becomes possible.

This assessment comes from Berangere Boell, representative of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and UN resident coordinator in the UAE, who spoke exclusively to The National about how the Emirates has positioned itself as a driver of global change.

Leading on Gender Equality

The UAE continues to earn international recognition for its progress on gender equality, ranking first regionally and seventh globally last year.

"The UAE's ranking is not just a national milestone – it's a signal to the entire region that meaningful progress is possible," Ms Boell said. "It leads the Arab region on the Gender Inequality Index and stands among the world's top performers globally."

Educational advances have driven this transformation dramatically. Female secondary school enrollment rose from 44 percent in 1990 to 83 percent in 2023, while maternal mortality dropped to just nine deaths per 100,000 births – far below the global average of 216.

"The UAE is living proof that when political will, education investment and leadership commitment come together, they can lead to real change," Boell emphasized.

A transformative moment came in 2018 when the late President Sheikh Khalifa ordered half of Federal National Council seats to be taken by women.

"This was transformative," said Ms Boell. "It shows that gender parity in politics is not aspirational – it's a deliberate choice."

Women now represent 70 percent of Emiratis in the private sector workforce and 56 percent of STEM graduates in public universities.

Humanitarian Leadership on Global Stage

The UAE ranks as the ninth largest humanitarian donor globally in 2024, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Its aid has reached Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon and other vulnerable nations.

"Dubai is the largest humanitarian hub in the world," Ms Boell noted. "It holds the biggest UN depot managed by WFP [the World Food Programme], providing services for 100 entities to distribute life-saving support from the UAE to the world."

Drawing from her eight years of experience with UNRWA in Gaza and Jerusalem, Ms Boell outlined her guiding principles:

"What I learnt are three guiding stars: people and their dignity are at the heart of all actions; everything must be grounded in humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality; and finally, diplomacy with empathy."

Vision 2045: Planning Beyond 2030

In July, the UAE unveiled its Extended Development Goals for 2045, extending well beyond the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

"The presentation of the XDGs 2045 is a remarkable endeavour and shows it's a nation of foresight," Ms Boell said. "The XDGs are the UAE's contribution to what comes next and an invitation for the world to start imagining the future."

Climate Leadership Through COP28

The COP28 climate summit in Dubai made history as the first to agree on a global transition away from fossil fuels.

"The story of Cop28 is fascinating," Ms Boell reflected. "The UAE Consensus created a turning point in global diplomacy and a landmark in climate diplomacy. It laid out two global targets: tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030."

Clean energy investment reached $2 trillion globally last year, outpacing fossil fuels by $800 billion.

Breaking Barriers and Building Resilience

Reflecting on women's continued challenges, Ms Boell shared personal insights on overcoming obstacles in male-dominated professions:

"As women, we still face hurdles because of gender inequality, especially in male-dominated professions. Our passion is what builds resilience and we must not shy away whenever told we are not respecting the norm, because our contribution is what matters."

Quoting Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to the US Congress, she added:

"If you don't have a seat at the table, just bring your folding chair. If I had waited to be given space and authorisation to contribute, I wouldn't be where I am today."

On women's role in peace negotiations, Ms Boell concluded:

"There is only lasting peace when women are an integral part of the solution."