Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, founded Emirati Women’s Day in 2015 to honour the invaluable contributions Emirati women have made to the nation’s progress. This year, rather than marking the occasion for a single day, the celebrations will extend across an entire month, running from 28 August to 28 September. To commemorate the milestone, MOJEH sits down with established Emirati women who continue to make an impact on society in more ways than one.
For the first installment of the series, we speak with writer and novelist Salha Obaid about her deep connection to the UAE, the enduring power of storytelling, and the traditions she hopes to pass on to the next generation. After publishing her debut short story collection, Alzheimer, in 2011, she followed with titles including The Postman of Happiness and The iPad’s Life on the Zorba Way. Most recently, the English translation of her acclaimed work Circle of Spices was released this year, marking yet another milestone in her literary journey.
MOJEH: The theme of Emirati Women’s Day 2026 is “We Emerge Stronger and Better.” What has the nation’s resilience taught you, and what do you think it has shown the world?
Salha Obaid: The UAE’s resilience has taught me that true strength lies not only in overcoming challenges, but in transforming them into opportunities for growth. Our nation has always responded to change with courage, foresight and an unwavering belief in its people. It has shown the world that a country can preserve its identity while embracing progress, and that resilience is most powerful when it is guided by unity, compassion and a clear vision for the future.
How has the UAE empowered you?
The UAE has empowered me by giving me the freedom and the opportunity to pursue more than one ambition. I have been able to serve my country through my work in government, contribute to knowledge and human development, and build my own voice as a writer. Most importantly, I grew up in a country where an Emirati woman’s ambition is not treated as an exception, but as an essential part of the nation’s progress. The UAE has given me the confidence to believe that my ideas, creativity and leadership can have a meaningful impact.
Emirati Women’s Day has been extended to a month-long celebration. How do you intend to celebrate the women in your life?
I intend to celebrate them by recognising their stories, not only their achievements. The women in my life have supported me through their strength, honesty, wisdom and presence. I want to dedicate time to expressing my gratitude to them, listening to their experiences and acknowledging the quiet forms of courage that often go unseen. As a writer, I also believe in preserving women’s stories through words, because being seen, remembered and represented is itself a meaningful form of celebration.
Which Emirati women inspire you, and how do you hope to inspire others?
The Emirati writer Salma Matar Seif inspires me through her distinctive literary voice and her contribution to the development of the Emirati short story. Her work demonstrates how writing can preserve personal and collective memory while capturing the deeper transformations of society. I am inspired by her commitment to storytelling and the way she has created an enduring literary legacy rooted in the Emirati experience.
I hope to inspire others through sincerity rather than perfection: by showing that a woman can be creative and professional, sensitive and strong, rooted in her identity yet open to the world. Through my writing and my work in knowledge and development, I hope to encourage others to trust their voices and recognise that their stories and ideas deserve to be shared.
Which cherished Emirati tradition do you hope to pass on to the next generation?
I hope to pass on the Emirati tradition of storytelling and oral memory. Stories preserve far more than events; they carry our language, humour, values, family histories and understanding of who we are. In a rapidly changing world, I want the next generation to remain connected to the voices and experiences that shaped us, while also feeling free to retell those stories in their own way.
