Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum named eight women as he revealed his latest cabinet line-up of 29 ministers in a series of tweets.
Woman elected head of UAE advisory parliament
National happiness isn't a wish. Plans, projects, programs, indices will inform the work of our ministries to achieve happiness
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
Ohoud al-Roumi, who had served as director of the council of ministers' office, was appointed "minister of state for happiness".
Ohood Al Roumi as Minister of State for Happiness. She remains responsible as DG of the Prime Minister’s Office. pic.twitter.com/1Omrzc9b8F
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
"Happiness is not just a wish in our country. There will be plans, projects, programmes and indices. It will be part of the job of all ministries," tweeted Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the ruler of Dubai.
Shamma AlMazrui as Minister of State for Youth Affairs.She’s 22 yrs old, with Masters’ from Oxford, and BSc from NYU pic.twitter.com/cRq3bG5krT
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
Shamma will head the Youth Council to represent the hopes of our youth. She will be empowered and expected to deliver tangible results.
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
Shamma al-Mazroui, 22, was appoined state minister for youth, while Lubna al-Qassimi, a veteran minister of international cooperation and development, was handed the new post of state minister for tolerance.
The cabinet has eight new ministers, including five new women, with an average age of 38, WAM state news agency said.
UAE’s anti-discrimination legislation
An oil-rich federation of seven Gulf sheikhdoms, the United Arab Emirates is considered a safe haven spared in the wave of Arab Spring uprisings that hit the region.
Last year its rulers sought to widen the country's nascent democratic credentials with about a quarter of its one million citizens given the right to vote.
Eighty-seven of the 330 candidates were women, who play a much larger role in public life in the UAE than in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
But the authorities have been deeply cautious and in 2014 introduced sweeping new counterterrorism legislation that rights groups have criticised as paving the way for a crackdown on dissent of all sorts.
Citizens make up a small minority of the UAE's population of nine million which is overwhelmingly made up of foreign workers.
Noura Al Kaabi as Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs. We trust she will add great value. pic.twitter.com/3u4G5ugH6E
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
Jameela Salem Al Muhairi as Minister of State for General Education, with 20 years of experience in education pic.twitter.com/yZQqaYC5K9
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
Najla Al Awar as Minister of Community Development. Mother of 3, Najla was Secretary General of the Cabinet pic.twitter.com/IBO1flQ7Ij
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 10, 2016
1730959638-0/trump-(19)1730959638-0-270x192.webp "trump govt may court martial army officers for afghan withdrawal")
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