UAE showcases its sustainable vision and achievements in comprehensive development, youth and women empowerment in the labour market at G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting

The United Arab Emirates showcased its sustainable vision for comprehensive development, along with its achievements and leadership in empowering youth, supporting entrepreneurship, and driving gender equality in the workplace, during its participation in the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting, held in George, South Africa, on 30 July 2025.

Heading a delegation from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, participated in a session on "Inclusive Growth, Job Creation and Youth Empowermen", where he highlighted the UAE’s efforts to empower the youth, which it considers to be a fundamental pillar for building a prosperous and sustainable future.

The youth make up half of the workforce in the UAE labour market, which has recorded a 12% growth in its workforce and a 17% growth in total number of companies, His Excellency noted.

Furthermore, UAE citizens' share of the workforce grew by 325% over the past three years since the launch of the Nafis programme, which reinforces the youth’s role in driving comprehensive economic growth, encouraging innovation, and supporting social cohesion - all of which is accomplished by empowering the youth, developing their capabilities, and enhancing their skills.

During the session, Al Awar explained that the UAE continues to align educational outcomes with evolving labour market needs by expanding investment in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), especially in priority sectors related to the economy of the future, where demand for talent is high. These include artificial intelligence (AI) and digital services, in addition to other sectors like health, education, business, and industry.

Al Awar went on to highlight the UAE’s outstanding experience, underlining a range of national initiatives that support this direction, including the National Youth Agenda 2031, the Industrialist Programme, and the Nafis programme.

Moreover, His Excellency shed light on the UAE’s experience in advancing entrepreneurship and strengthening digital readiness by allocating a dedicated fund for the UAE Council for Entrepreneurship and launching the "5,000 Digital Talents" initiative, designed to empower youth and prepare them to take the lead in the new economic era, which is centred on technology, sustainability, and innovation in various fields.

MoHRE’s participation at the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting also saw Minister Al Awar join another session on "Gender Equality in the Workforce", where he asserted the UAE’s commitment to ensuring equality and justice, noting that legislation in the UAE prohibits all forms of gender-based discrimination in the workplace - including in promotions, training opportunities, etc. - and protects against gender-based violence.

Women today constitute 66% of the workforce in government entities in the UAE, with more than 30% of them holding leadership positions, Al Awar revealed, adding that the private sector witnessed a 21% growth in women’s participation in the labour market, with women working in skilled jobs accounting for 46% of the total female workforce in the private sector.

Minister Al Awar explained that the remarkable progress the UAE has made is clearly reflected in the country's global rankings, which include first place in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on the Gender Inequality Index of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as the Women, Business, and the Law 2024 report issued by the World Bank, where the UAE scored 82.5 out of 100.

Founded in 1999, the G20 brings together the world's major economies, which collectively represent 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population. It offers a key platform for international cooperation, policymaking, and setting global objectives and commitments, laying the foundation for global economic stability and economic development.