GWU launches 1st employment programme for productive families

This pioneering step reflects the long-term “Mother of the Nation's 50:50 Vision”, which extends to the year 2075 and aims to enhance the role of women and empower them economically and socially.

The announcement was made during the second edition of the “Creatives Path Programme," which kicked off in Al Ain City.

This initiative is a practical embodiment of the “50:50” vision launched by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak "Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation. The vision seeks to boost the participation of Emirati women across various fields of development.

Under this innovative initiative, the General Women’s Union grants Productive Families the status of "official employees" with a monthly salary, in addition to a share of net profits generated from the sale of products delivered to the GWU's Centre for Traditional Industries and Handicrafts.

Female employees under this programme will also be registered with the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, ensuring them insurance coverage and a more secure future.

Participants are required to produce and deliver a specified number of products weekly, according to agreed-upon standards, without being bound by daily working hours or physical attendance—offering complete flexibility in line with the nature of family-based and creative work.

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the GWU, said that the launch of the world’s first official employment model for Productive Families reflects the deep confidence of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in the capabilities of Emirati women and embodies her ongoing directives to support their economic and social empowerment.

"This initiative does not only offer a stable source of income to families," Al Suwaidi said, "but it also opens new pathways for institutional and sustainable contributions to the national economy."

Eng. Ghalia Ali Al Mannai, Head of the Strategic and Development Affairs at the GWU, added that the new employment mechanism provides Productive Families with a flexible work structure from within their homes, while ensuring full professional and legal protections, including pension registration.

“Allocating a share of profits further strengthens motivation and enhances product quality,” Al Mannai noted, “which is essential for the sustainability and competitiveness of traditional crafts in the market.”

The launch of this employment model marks a paradigm shift in supporting the home-based and creative economy, institutionalising the integration of Productive Families into the national economic cycle under a socially protective and strategically guided framework.

The event serves as a premier national platform for promoting Emirati innovation and expanding sustainable employment opportunities. The initiative aligns with the UAE’s strategic goals to empower women and bolster their role in the creative economy.

During the exhibition, new opportunities under the Creatives Path Programme were unveiled, aimed at supporting Emirati job seekers in the cultural and creative sectors. This effort includes employment and training placements in the private sector, in collaboration with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis).