UAE Industrial Leaders create Challenger Programme for Women

In an initiative for the UAE manufacturing industry, prominent firms have created the "Challenger Programme" to increase female presence in the traditionally male-dominated sector. This program is spearheaded by Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), in partnership with industry titans like as Adnoc, Ducab, Emirates Steel Arkan, Siemens, Strata Manufacturing, Taqa, and TechnipFMC.

This program, announced during the Inclusion Summit in Abu Dhabi and backed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, aims to increase gender diversity with the help of social enterprise Aurora50.

Abdullah Al Nuaimi, assistant undersecretary at the Ministry, stressed the importance of this initiative, saying, "Gender balance is not just a moral obligation, but a smart business choice." He asked his peers in the business to join in, emphasizing the crucial importance of collective action in establishing a corporate culture in which gender balance is inherent.

The primary goal of the Challenger Programme is to accelerate progress on gender balance by developing a steering committee comprised of representatives from participating enterprises. This group will discuss best practices, address industry difficulties, and lobby for increased female participation in the field.

Yaser Almazrouei, executive director of Adnoc Group, remarked on the sector's significant progress toward gender equality over the last three decades. Almazrouei emphasized Adnoc's amazing achievement, seeing 900 women directing critical projects, a huge turnaround from an age devoid of female on-site participation.

This significant milestone represents a dynamic change toward gender parity and inclusiveness in a historically male-dominated area, indicating a purposeful transition toward a more varied and empowered industrial environment in the UAE.