The Department of Economic Development in Ajman (Ajman DED) and the Ajman Business Women Council (AJBWC) celebrated Emirati Women's Day, an annual occasion marked by the UAE on August 28 of each year to confirm the interest and keenness of the leadership, government, and people to promote and develop the status of women in society, which came this year under the slogan "We Share for Tomorrow", amid aspirations to support women to continue her leadership, strong presence, and outstanding performance in the economic sector, entrepreneurship, and various fields. During the celebration, H.E. Dr. Amna Khalifa Al Ali, Chairwoman of the AJBWC, was honored in appreciation and gratitude for her efforts in empowering Emirati businesswomen, being a pioneering example for Emirati women, and her complementarity partnership between the Ajman DED and the AJBWC, in addition to honoring the first Emirati female entrepreneurs and the first female participants in the "Taziz" and "Reyada" programs were honored, in recognition of their efforts and contributions to the economic renaissance in Ajman.
The Ajman DED works permanently and continuously, on a clear methodological basis, to create an incubating environment for entrepreneurship, the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the empowerment of women in the business and investment sector, which contributed to the desire of Emirati women to participate in the comprehensive economic development of the emirate of Ajman. The number of active licenses owned or shared by women reached about 21% of the total economic licenses in the Ajman DED until August 2023, i.e. about 7,574 licenses, the majority of which are Emirati businesswomen, about 60%. The growth rate of effective economic licenses owned or shared by Emirati businesswomen reached about 17% until August 2023 compared with the same period of the previous year.
The “Taziz” and “Reyada” programs also witnessed a big turnout from Emirati women, as the growth rate of female participants in the "Taziz" program reached 31% during the aforementioned periods, while "Reyada" licenses practice domestic activities for women increased by 6.4% for the same periods. The most important economic activities for Emirati businesswomen include: building maintenance, tailoring and dressmaking of women's clothing, interior design & decoration works, wholesale trade of women's ready-made clothing, and ready-made garment embroidery.
H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Hamrani, Director General of the Ajman DED, said: "Emirati woman is an essential partner in the process of economic renaissance and sustainable development. Thanks to the wise vision of our wise leadership and future foresight in addition to the packages of enablers and incentives that were launched, the Emirate of Ajman has become one of the most prominent business environments that attract Emirati businesswomen. We commit to continue support and development to provide an ideal business environment that attracts investment, supports the growth of their businesses, and enhances the competitiveness of their projects."
Dr. Amna said: "The UAE wise leadership has given women great care and attention, believed in their capabilities and the importance of their role, and developed work systems so that women are real partners in development. Her Excellency Dr. Amna Khalifa Al Ali, Chairman of the Ajman Businesswomen Council, stated: “The wise leadership of the state has given women great care and attention, believed in their capabilities and the importance of their role, and developed work systems so that women are real partners in development. The slogan of this year's Emirati Women's Day, "We Share for Tomorrow," reflects the important and vital role of women in the development process. On that day, we were keen to honor and encourage a group of businesswomen who own pioneering projects, with a view to highlighting the status and role of Emirati women in supporting the comprehensive development process and the development of the economic sector in Ajman. We are always keen to meet and enhance effective communication with our partners from government entities to discuss cooperation frameworks in order to transfer the projects and experiences of Emirati businesswomen to global horizons.”