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Unilever Arabia's Commitment to Women's Economic Empowerment

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We believe that empowering women is not only a moral imperative but also a critical driver of economic growth and societal progress. Our commitment to gender equality is reflected in our ongoing efforts to promote women's economic empowerment and create a supportive environment for their professional and personal development.

Priya Sarma at a panel discussion at the UN’s Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment conference

On April 24th in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, our Head of Communication & Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Priya Sarma, spoke at the United Nations Women Conference on “Accelerating Women’s Economic Empowerment.” The conference focused on promoting women’s decent work and entrepreneurship, bringing together leaders and advocates from around the world to discuss strategies for advancing gender equality.

As the lead of the UAE Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance (UA), Priya highlighted the impactful and ongoing work of the UAE Chapter while underscoring the ongoing and complex challenge of achieving gender equality globally. She emphasized the importance of addressing stereotypes and biases that hinder women's progress and shared insights on the initiatives being undertaken by the UAE Chapter to create a more inclusive society.

During her speech, Priya highlighted two important statistics that underscore the urgency of our mission:

  • According to the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2024, it will take approximately 134 years to close the global gender gap.
  • A study by UN Women in the UAE revealed that 55% of the audience surveyed agreed with the statement that when 'women work for pay, their children suffer' - a clear indication of the double burden for women of managing home and work.

These statistics serve as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in achieving gender equality. However, they also reinforce our resolve to continue driving change. At Unilever Arabia, we remain committed to driving Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We are proud to have over 40% women in mid and senior roles in the GCC as of 2024, and we will continue to strive for greater representation and support for women at all levels of our organization.

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