The United Arab Emirates, represented by the UAE Gender Balance Council, participated in the BRICS Women's Track meetings, held from 6 to 9 July 2026 in the city of Kochi, Kerala, in the Republic of India.

The participation took place within the framework of India's presidency of the group for 2026, reflecting the UAE's commitment to contributing to the development of practical outcomes that strengthen international cooperation and support policies and initiatives aimed at achieving women-led sustainable development.

The meetings were attended by ministers and officials responsible for women's affairs in member states, who discussed a draft joint ministerial statement alongside four main themes: leadership and governance, financial and digital inclusion, entrepreneurship and skills development, and climate action, food security and nutrition.

This was conducted within the framework of the Indian presidency's priorities, adopted to enhance the role of women in sustainable development, the economy and innovation, capacity-building, and the promotion of international cooperation and the exchange of best practices.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the State, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, affirmed that the UAE views gender balance as a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development and enhancing the competitiveness of nations.

She noted that investing in women is an investment in the future of societies, and in building more innovative economies and more resilient institutions capable of meeting challenges.

Her Highness also commended the efforts made by the Republic of India during its presidency of the BRICS Women's Track, which contributed to entrenching constructive dialogue, strengthening coordination among member states, and developing practical outcomes responsive to shared development priorities.

She said: "The UAE believes that international partnerships, constructive dialogue and the exchange of expertise are essential elements for accelerating progress and translating commitments into practical and sustainable results.

From this standpoint, the UAE continues to work with its partners in BRICS and around the world to translate joint outcomes into practical policies, partnerships and initiatives that expand opportunities for women and enhance their role in sustainable development."

During the ministerial meeting, the UAE affirmed that gender balance represents a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development and enhancing the resilience of societies and economies in facing challenges, noting that building strong institutions and supportive environments forms the foundation for ensuring the full and effective participation of women in economic and social life and in decision-making.

The UAE presented its national experience in entrenching gender balance through an integrated system of policies, legislation and national strategies, foremost among them "We the UAE 2031", the National Policy for Emirati Women's Empowerment 2031, and the UAE Gender Balance Council Strategy.

It also highlighted the achievements the country has made in the areas of leadership, diplomacy, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and climate action, which have strengthened its regional and international standing and are reflected in its leading position among Arab countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 and its first-place regional ranking in the Gender Equality Index issued by the United Nations Development Programme.

The UAE also presented its leading national initiatives, foremost among them the SDG 5 Pledge, which 88 private-sector companies have joined and committed to raising the proportion of women in middle and senior management positions to 30% by 2028, in addition to family support initiatives, capacity-building programmes in technology and artificial intelligence, and the promotion of women's participation in climate action.

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said: "The BRICS Women's Track constitutes a strategic platform for promoting international dialogue, building partnerships and exchanging expertise, in a way that supports the development of more inclusive and sustainable policies.

It reinforces the role of women as a key partner in achieving economic growth and sustainable development. The UAE believes that international cooperation forms a fundamental pillar for accelerating progress and translating shared ambitions into initiatives that achieve tangible impact."

She added: "The UAE's experience in gender balance offers a practical model that enhances the exchange of expertise and enriches cooperation among BRICS member states."

The UAE participated in discussions on the draft joint ministerial statement, as well as the BRICS Guidelines for Building Women's Digital Capacities and the joint digital library of leading practices, which aim to support the exchange of expertise, enhance capacity-building and develop practical solutions responsive to member states' priorities.

Mouza Mohammed Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, affirmed that the UAE's participation in BRICS reflects its approach of translating international dialogue into practical initiatives and partnerships that contribute to the development of policies supporting gender balance and women's empowerment.

She added: "We look forward to building on the outcomes of this meeting by expanding partnerships, exchanging expertise, and working with our partners to translate shared visions into initiatives and policies that achieve sustainable impact, enhancing women's participation across various sectors and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals."

On the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, the UAE delegation held bilateral meetings with Her Excellency Annpurna Devi, Minister of Women and Child Development of the Republic of India; Her Excellency Marcia Lopes, Minister of Women of the Federative Republic of Brazil; and Her Excellency Olga Batalina, First Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation.

The meetings explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the areas of women's economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, the digital economy, skills development, climate action and care policies, as well as the exchange of best practices in developing policies and legislation supportive of gender balance.

The UAE welcomed the adoption of the joint ministerial statement and the directions and outcomes it contains, which strengthen international cooperation and support the development of policies and initiatives aimed at broadening women's participation in sustainable economic and social development, reaffirming its commitment to continuing to work with member states to translate these outcomes into practical initiatives and partnerships with tangible impact.

The UAE concluded its participation by reaffirming its commitment to continuing cooperation with BRICS member states and international partners to promote knowledge exchange and support joint initiatives that entrench gender balance, empower women and contribute to building a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.