Makkah emir reassures excellent services for pilgrims Deputy emir meets Hajj minister in Arafat    Security forces utilize AI to manage Hajj pilgrimage    Zelensky seeks show of support at giant Ukraine peace summit    G7 leaders accuse China of 'enabling' Russia war on Ukraine in stark warning    Full-blown Israel-Hezbollah war appears to be more likely, analysts say    Cyril Ramaphosa re-elected South African president    A glimpse into the Jamarat: Ensuring a safe and sacred ritual for pilgrims    Hajj pilgrims advised on safe practices for stoning    Saudi-based Shine Event Staffing wins Best Staffing Agency at the Middle East Event Awards 2024    IMF forecast: Saudi unemployment rate hits historic lows; non-oil growth to reach 3.5% in 2024    Tesla investors back $56bn Musk pay deal    Japanese band pulls music video with ape-like natives    Aramco and NextDecade set preliminary terms for long-term LNG agreement    BTS' Jin to hug 1,000 fans as he returns from army    The hit Thai film moving TikTokers to tears    Iconic French singer Françoise Hardy dies aged 80    Mahd Sports Academy appoints Mike Puig as Deputy CEO for Sports    Saudi national football team wins 3-0 against Pakistan in World Cup qualifiers    Embracing change: A journey towards inner peace    Cristiano Ronaldo hails 2023-24 RSL season as 'one of the best' of his career    Germany's head coach blasts public broadcaster for 'racist' survey    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UAE hails ‘first woman in Arab world' to head national council
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 25 - 11 - 2015

DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) made history on Wednesday when it appointed Amal Al-Qubaisi as president of the country's Federal National Council (FNC), making her the Arab world's first woman to be elected to the role.
Early last month, nearly 79,000 Emirati voters elected 20 representatives of the 40-member FNC, a government advisory body. The rest of the council members were selected by the authorities of each of the seven Emirates. The 40-member FNC is the advisory federal authority of the UAE, and was formed to represent the general public.
Eight women made it to the newly elected council, which is headquartered in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.
"I am proud to take this seat for the first time as a woman in the Arab world," she said during a council session, after winning the role of president and speaker unopposed.
"I dedicate this achievement to the great women of the UAE, and to the Mother of the Nation, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak."
This is not Qubaisi's first time making the history record books. In 2006, she was the first woman to be elected in FNC and first female to chair one of its meetings.
For Dubai's Khaleej Times city editor Mustafa Al-Zarooni, who has covered FNC politics since its inception, Qubaisi's appointment did not come as a surprise.
"It's a good step as it shows that UAE leadership supports and encourages the role of women in politics and society," Zarooni told Al Arabiya News.
"She was part of the old council and is considered a veteran of FNC's politics. She previously served as vice-president of the council for a while and showed that she has the capabilities and leadership drive to reign in the council at times of need," he said.
Dubai-based Professor and Political Analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdullah told Al Arabiya News that while there are critics who might say electing a woman council president could simply be for show, Qubaisi's rise to the position took years and effort from her part.
"I don't consider it as an appointment. Such roles have to go through their relevant official process. Considering that the new council is two-thirds newly elected, she has the most merit. She has the most experience and capabilities," he said.
"It's not because she's a woman but because of her credentials," Abdullah added.
Compared to other GCC countries such as Bahrain and Kuwait, local elections are a relatively new phenomenon in the UAE.
Kuwait has the longest recorded political culture in the region, given that it elected its first national assembly in 1921.
Kuwait's ruling family dissolved parliament in 1939, but it was reinstated in 1962 following independence the previous year. Bahrain elected its fourth parliament at the start of this year, with a strong turnout of 51.5 percent.
UAE's newly-elected FNC is only in its third cycle and analysts suggest the country needs more time, as compared to its Gulf neighbors, before it can bare public criticism.
"It's still too early to judge how this council will perform. But it's great that only a third of the old council's members were re-elected while everyone else are new members. But we're hoping that new blood will allow for the ease of the council's duties and responsibilities," Zarooni said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.