First Emirati woman appointed for an international position at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York

On 7th September 2015, Ms. Hind Abdulaziz Alowais became the first Emirati woman to be posted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York as a senior advisor since the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became a member of the United Nations in 1971.

Ms. Alowais was selected for the post of Senior Advisor in the Office of the Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General for Intergovernmental Support and Strategic Partnerships, at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

This appointment comes shortly after the UAE declared the 28th of August as Emirati Women’s Day, and coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the UAE General Women Union (GWU). It also represents an opportunity for recognising and celebrating the achievements of the UAE Women since the establishment of the GWU.

In this position, Ms. Alowais will work to ensure the integration of a gender perspective in the implementation of the sustainable development goals. Ms. Alowais will assist the Deputy Executive Director in building advocacy and substantive support on intergovernmental, non-governmental, and strategic partnerships.

Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, commented on this appointment: "Having an Emirati woman in this position is a reflection of the international recognition that the UAE has achieved, not only on gender equality, but also as an active and serious player in this international organisation".

Ms. Alowais served as a career diplomat since 2000. During her work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she served as Special Assistant to the Foreign Minister. Most recently, Ms. Alowais served as a Counselor and acting Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE Mission to the United Nations in New York. In this role, she led and managed a number of initiatives, the most recent of which was a series of panel discussions on Women, Peace and Security, as part of the UAE Mission’s leading activities at the UN aimed at promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Ms. Alowais holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the Tisch School of the Arts in New York and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Lebanese American University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree at NYU’s Steinhart School of Culture Education.