The UAE's vision for the future cannot be achieved without the contribution of women and the country must create a supportive environment for their participation, the Vice President has said.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, spoke at the launch of the Gender Balance Guide for the public and private sector.

It was developed as a reference tool to 'narrow the gender gap across the UAE’s private and public institutions', Dubai Government Media Office said in a statement.

“We established the UAE Gender Balance Council in 2015 in order to propel the country to an advanced global position, and to enhance our competitiveness in this area— in continuation of a process that was set in motion decades ago," Sheikh Mohammed said.

محمد بن راشد يشهد إطلاق "دليل التوازن بين الجنسين" الأول من نوعه على مستوى العالمhttps://t.co/CfnXPKe8Re pic.twitter.com/G0fcvh0ZbN — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 19, 2017

"Our Constitution ensures equal opportunities for all citizens of the UAE. Consequently, the remarkable progress that we see today, concerning women's participation and their many achievements within various fields, is the result of a vision based on this principle, backed by a commitment to efficiency and giving back, our main drivers of excellence."

He said despite the fact that the UAE’s experience in supporting women and promoting gender balance has reached advanced levels, 'there is still a need for collective efforts and cooperation to translate this guide into tangible achievements and enhance the UAE’s position in global competitiveness rankings related to gender balance', the media office added.

Among those attending yesterday was Mari Kiviniemi, Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD and the former prime minister of Finland.

“Today, gender equality is still a global challenge. A lot remains to be done in order to close the gender gap and grant women equal access to decision-making and leadership positions in public and economic life," she said.

"Therefore, political leaders have the responsibility to address this critical social, economic and human rights challenge. Furthermore, organisations in both public and private sectors have a key role to play in ensuring an environment sensitive to balance, fairness, and equality - for both women and men.”

“The “Gender Balance Guide: Actions for UAE organisations”, developed through a strategic collaboration between the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the UAE Gender Balance Council, is an innovative and practical tool.

"It lays out the roadmap for the UAE and its organisations to harness the untapped potential that women represent. The concrete areas that this guide tackles mark a decisive step forward in making gender balance a reality in the professional world and in building an inclusive and sustainable future. It is an excellent achievement that of course needs to be completed by successful implementation.”