The Quick Read
- The Emirati Women’s Forum 2026 will take place on 27 August at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and Dubai Women Establishment.
- The Forum is being held alongside the UAE’s Emirati Women’s Day celebrations, whose 2026 theme is “We Emerge Stronger and Better.”
- Registration is now open for the Forum’s panel discussions and activations.
- Partners include DEWA, Dubai Culture, RTA, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Islamic Bank, Dubai Media Incorporated, DMCC and Dubai Business Women Council, among others.
- The sessions are expected to highlight Emirati women’s contributions across government, business, infrastructure, culture, technology and other future-facing sectors.
Emirati Women’s Forum 2026
Dubai is preparing to bring another major women’s leadership conversation into the room.
The Emirati Women’s Forum 2026 will be held on 27 August at Madinat Jumeirah, bringing together senior officials, decision-makers, business leaders and professionals to discuss Emirati women’s growing contribution to the country’s economy, society and future-focused sectors.
Organised by the Dubai Women Establishment, this is the Forum’s second edition. It will take place under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and President of Dubai Women Establishment.
The timing is significant too. The Forum coincides with the UAE’s celebrations of Emirati Women’s Day, marked this year under the theme “We Emerge Stronger and Better,” launched by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
What will the Emirati Women’s Forum 2026 focus on?
The current announcement positions the Forum around more than celebrating achievement.
Partner organisations are expected to participate in panel discussions and workshops that examine women’s contributions to the UAE’s development, particularly their roles in specialised, future-facing sectors. Discussions will also address policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s role in the country’s future.
That gives the Forum an interesting mix of themes: leadership, economic participation, professional advancement, innovation, infrastructure, culture, business, and the institutional conditions that help women progress.
For Change in Content, this connects naturally with our earlier look at how the UAE has been progressing on women’s empowerment and gender parity. The larger question remains how participation eventually translates into authority, influence and decision-making.
It is also a conversation increasingly visible across international platforms. Our coverage of the BRICS WE Summit 2026 similarly examined the shift from encouraging women’s inclusion towards creating pathways into influence and leadership.
A broad group of partners is coming together
The partner list gives some indication of the Forum’s reach.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is the Strategic Partner, while Dubai Culture and Arts Authority joins as Cultural Partner. Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Islamic Bank are Key Partners, with Dubai Media Incorporated serving as Media Partner.
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre and Dubai Business Women Council are Supporting Partners, while Hills Advertising is the Advertising Partner.
The spread is notable because women’s advancement is being discussed across sectors such as utilities, infrastructure, transport, finance, trade, culture, and entrepreneurship, rather than being contained within a conventional women’s development programme.
What are leaders saying?
Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Chairperson and Managing Director of Dubai Women Establishment, said the diversity of participating organisations reflected a shared commitment to investing in national talent. She linked greater women’s participation and equal opportunity directly with sustaining the UAE’s progress and global competitiveness.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, highlighted women’s growing contributions across government, technology, engineering, transport, infrastructure, sustainability, and innovation. He also pointed towards expanding women’s participation in future-focused sectors and leadership roles.
At DEWA, MD and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer emphasised the creation of a workplace that supports women’s professional development while enabling them to balance professional and family responsibilities.
Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Founder and President of the Dubai Business Women Council, placed particular emphasis on women in business and leadership, arguing that collaboration among national institutions can help expand opportunities for the next generation of Emirati women.
And Feryal Ahmadi, Deputy CEO and COO of DMCC, connected women’s advancement directly with Dubai’s long-term economic ambitions. DMCC will also participate in a Women in Law workshop at the Forum.
Registration is open
Dubai Women Establishment has confirmed that registration is now open for participants wishing to attend the Forum’s discussions and activations.
Register for the Emirati Women’s Forum 2026
With the event taking place on 27 August, interested participants have only a few days left before the Forum begins.
Final thoughts: Watch What Happens Beyond the Stage
The Emirati Women’s Forum 2026 arrives at a useful point in the wider women-and-work conversation.
Women’s achievements deserve visibility. But the most interesting conversations now concern what comes next.
- Which sectors are opening further?
- Which professional pathways are being built?
- How do women move into decision-making roles?
- What makes advancement sustainable across a career?
- And how do governments and businesses translate public commitments into everyday opportunity?
The Forum’s mix of government bodies, employers, business organisations and women leaders gives it the potential to move across several of these questions at once. For now, 27 August is the date to watch.
The more important measure will come afterwards. It will be about the conversations that produce initiatives, partnerships and opportunities that continue after Madinat Jumeirah has emptied.
Editorial Note and Disclaimer
This Mosaic news report is based on information released by the Government of Dubai Media Office and Dubai Women Establishment on 22 August 2026. Programme details, partners and registration information are current at the time of writing and may be updated by the organisers. Change in Content is not affiliated with the Forum.
Primary Source
Government of Dubai Media Office: Dubai Women Establishment announces partners for the Emirati Women’s Forum 2026, 22 August 2026.
