São Paulo – Woman make up 45% of the space sector workforce in the United Arab Emirates, the Emirates Space Agency reported. The Agency director-general Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that this high rate reaffirms the government’s commitment to encourage a more diverse career path for Emirati women.
The UAE space sector has the world’s highest female employment rates, compared to international entities which have an average of 12% female staff.
Al Ahbabi said that Emirati women also have a “strong presence” in the global space sector, contribute to research developments in the field and are involved in the manufacturing of satellites, such as KhalifaSat, which launched from Japan in October 2018. They are also engaged in the design and manufacture of the first Arab probe to Mars, the Hope Probe, which is expected to launch into space by 2020.
The first Arab astronaut to go into space will be Hazza Al Mansoori from the UAE. His trip to the International Space Station is scheduled for September 25.
Pictured above is Sarah Amiri at the Global Women Forum 2016 in Dubai. Amiri is chair of the United Arab Emirates Council of Scientists and project manager of the Emirates Mars Mission.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
