Every day, the contributions of women around us deserve recognition. Yet on International Women’s Day, when the world’s attention is focused, we have the chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate their impact more fully.
In the United Arab Emirates, leadership increasingly carries the imprint of women whose influence permeates diplomacy, media, national service and global policy. They shape international conversations, build institutions, and set the pace for how the country presents itself on the world stage.
As the nation marks this day, their stories reveal leadership defined not by symbolism, but by tangible impact. These women have negotiated at the highest levels of diplomacy, transformed media ecosystems, and broken historic ground in fields where expertise, resilience and authority are essential.
UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation
H.E. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy serves as UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and oversees the Political Affairs Office of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She led the UAE’s successful bid to host Expo 2020 Dubai and now serves as CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority.
She also chairs the UAE National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals, Dubai Cares and the Board of Trustees of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Earlier in her career she served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C. and as Chairperson of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority.
Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council
H.E. Mona Ghanem Al Marri is one of the UAE’s leading voices in media and women’s empowerment. She serves as Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office and President of the Dubai Press Club, while also acting as Secretary-General of the Arab Media Award and Chair of the Arab Media Forum.
She played a key role in the founding of the Dubai Women Establishment and currently serves as Vice President of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance. In 2014, the World Economic Forum recognised her as a Young Arab Leader.
UAE’s Minister of State
H.E. Lana Zaki Nusseibeh serves as UAE Minister of State, representing the country in diplomatic and international affairs. She previously served as UAE Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024, where she played a central role in multilateral diplomacy, including co-chairing negotiations on UN Security Council reform.
She also served as Vice-President of the UN General Assembly and chaired the UN Women Executive Board in 2017, contributing to key institutional reforms and global development priorities.
First Female Fighter Pilot In The UAE
Major Mariam Al-Mansouri is the UAE’s first female fighter pilot, flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon and leading combat missions for the UAE Air Force. Her pioneering role marked a defining moment for women in military aviation across the region.
A graduate of the UAE Air Force Academy, she was awarded the Mohammed bin Rashid Pride of the Emirates Medal in recognition of her excellence and trailblazing service.
Dubai Police’s First Female Brigadier In 69 Years
Brigadier Samira Abdullah Al Ali made history as the first woman to be promoted to the rank of brigadier in the 69-year history of Dubai Police. The promotion, issued under the directive of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reflects more than three decades of dedicated service and leadership.
Over her 31-year career she established and led Dubai Police’s Insurance Department and introduced several operational initiatives. She also became the first woman to lead an all-male team within the General Department of Transport and Rescue.
