UAE-Croatia Business Club Supports EmpowerHer Conference and the UAE-UN Women Strategic Partnership
Abu Dhabi, April 23, 2025 – The UAE-Croatia Business Club had the honour of attending the EmpowerHer Conference held at the General Women’s Union in Abu Dhabi, an event marking a milestone in global efforts toward women’s economic empowerment. The Club’s participation reflects its firm commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth and supporting initiatives aligned with gender equality and sustainability.
Organised under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the event celebrated the launch of the ‘Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment in Africa and Latin America’ component of the UAE–UN Women Strategic Partnership Framework (2024–2027). The framework, which represents a $15 million commitment by the UAE, is aimed at advancing gender-focused initiatives worldwide.
In his opening keynote, Dr. Moez Doraid, UN Women Regional Director a.i. for the Arab States, praised the UAE’s pioneering leadership in women’s empowerment, stating:
“The conference embodies our shared commitment to placing women’s empowerment at the heart of economic transformation.”
He highlighted the UAE’s role as a global benchmark in women’s empowerment, referencing its top ranking in the Arab world on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, thanks to notable progress in women’s education, workforce participation, and leadership.
The event spotlighted critical global issues: the persistent gender gap in labour force participation in the Arab region—currently at just 20%, compared to the global average of 49%. Dr. Doraid noted the $575 billion in lost GDP annually due to this gap and stressed the goal of increasing participation to 25% in five years, potentially boosting the region’s GDP by over 20%.
UAE-Croatia Business Club Statement
Neven Roginić, President of the UAE-Croatia Business Club, shared his reflections following the event:
“It was a privilege to attend the EmpowerHer Conference and support this visionary initiative. We fully align with the values of the UAE and UN Women in promoting women’s economic empowerment as a foundation for sustainable development.
As a business community, we have a responsibility to advocate for equal opportunity and to ensure that our platforms, policies, and partnerships contribute to lasting change. This is not only a moral imperative—it’s a smart economic strategy.”
He also emphasized the role of the UAE-Croatia Business Club in contributing to such initiatives:
“Through our growing network of Croatian and Emirati companies, we’re proud to support dialogue, collaboration, and concrete actions that uplift women in business across borders. Gender equality is integral to our vision for inclusive and resilient economic ties between the UAE and Croatia.”
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