First female FNC member continues to make an impact

Dr Amal Al Qubaisi was first elected to the UAE's parliamentary body in 2006.

Dr Amal Al Qubaisi speaks to fellow FNC members about early retirement for women, at a meeting in November last year. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National

ABU DHABI // Dr Amal Al Qubaisi’s reputation precedes her as one of the first women to make a political breakthrough in the country.

Although the country had a strong track record in supporting women, appointing four as ministers, the FNC was an all-male body until 2006.

Once the President, Sheikh Khalifa, made constitutional amendments allowing women to enter the council, Dr Al Qubaisi, a renowned architect, was elected in the capital, becoming the first female to take a seat.

Dr Al Qubaisi took no time in finding her voice on the council, a strong one that echoed loudly throughout the entire chamber.

She became known as a powerful advocate for women, calling for longer maternity leave, a matter she still discusses regularly, and earlier retirement.

She has spoken passionately on the importance of national identity and the Arabic language.

Her dedication became known internationally, as she made speeches abroad and became a fine example of the heights UAE women have reached.

She was also recognised in the UAE. After her four-year term ended in 2011, she was appointed by Sheikh Khalifa to become a member of the council once again.

Used to blazing a trail for UAE women, Dr Al Qubaisi immediately became the council’s first Deputy Speaker, making her the first woman to do so in a GCC national assembly.

She has continued to be a strong advocate for women with additional calls for improving services for the country’s disabled. She also became the first woman to chair one of the council’s meetings.

After a four-hour session, speaking from the highest platform in the council chambers, she said: “Today, Emirati women are a model for Gulf or Arab women.”

Her role outside the council has continued to blossom.

Last year, she headed a UAE delegation of women to visit the US to discuss challenges facing their counterparts in New York and Washington.

She also headed a number of FNC visits abroad.

But her success did not end there. This year, she was appointed by Sheikh Khalifa to the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, becoming its first female member.

Since then, she has also become the general director of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. After seven years in the FNC, bringing up challenges in the education system on occasion, a noticeable change has followed her new appointment.

At a conference last month she told a room full of educators of the need to change a mindset that teaching was just a job, but also a form of national service and a way to give back to the country, in an attempt to attract more Emirati teachers.

She has also helped promote a new campaign from Adec to allow pupils to dream big and set goals for themselves using portfolios.

Nasra Al Rahma, a 23-year-old from Dubai, said she admired Dr Al Qubaisi’s passion as a speaker.

“Others have their speeches written for them, but with Dr Al Qubaisi, you can see her in her speech.”