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Dubai Municipality has been awarded the international certification for compliance with the global standard on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (ISO 53800) by Global TUV (gTUV), a leading international organisation in auditing, inspection, and certification of compliance with global standards, becoming the world’s first entity to achieve this recognition.
The milestone, which coincides with Emirati Women’s Day, celebrated on 28 August each year, reflects the central role of women in the nation’s development journey and the government’s forward-looking empowerment policies rooted in justice, merit, and equal opportunity. It also aligns with the UAE’s ‘Year of Community’, reinforcing values of social justice and inclusive participation, while sending a powerful message that gender equality and women’s empowerment are not only institutional commitments, but also pillars of sustainable development and social cohesion.
His Excellency Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said:“We are proud of this achievement, which highlights Dubai and the UAE’s leadership in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with the directives of our leadership. It reflects our commitment to embedding equality and empowerment as both social and institutional values based on fairness and merit. At Dubai Municipality, we take pride in obtaining this international recognition, which underscores our efforts to empower women and support them in achieving greater accomplishments, in harmony with national empowerment programmes and the UAE National Strategy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023–2031. It also reaffirms our pledge to foster a fair workplace that values competence without bias, embraces the highest global standards in gender balance, and empowers Emirati women, showcasing Dubai as a pioneering city that inspires institutions worldwide in transforming principles into tangible impact.”
Nasser BuShehab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality, emphasised thatthe achievement represents a vital step in advancing a positive workplace culture.
He said:“We are proud that Dubai Municipality is the first entity globally to receive certification for compliance with the ISO 53800 standard. This milestone strengthens our journey in building an inclusive work environment that promotes equality, empowers women, and provides career development opportunities for all employees without discrimination, while ensuring work-life balance.
In the same context,Azza Al Marzooqi, Director of the Human Resources Department at Dubai Municipality, noted that this international recognition supports our employee happiness strategy, enhances satisfaction, productivity, and talent retention — directly contributing to the quality of services we deliver to Dubai’s community.”
Global leadership
The UAE has made remarkable progress in advancing gender balance and women’s empowerment, establishing itself as a global leader in this field. The UAE ranked 7th globally and 1st in the region in the United Nations Development Programme’s Gender Inequality Index (GII) for 2024, a significant rise from its 49th position in 2015, and 11th place in both 2021 and 2022.
This recognition, which highlights the maturity of Dubai Municipality’s human resources policies and governance frameworks, strengthens its ability to attract and retain top talent, while fostering innovation and driving excellence in public service delivery.
ISO 53800 Standard
The international standard ISO 53800 is issued by the German company TUV, a global leader in auditing, inspection, and certification, with extensive expertise across international markets and the Gulf region. The company holds a wide range of accreditations from key standards and accreditation bodies, including the Emirates International Accreditation Centre, the German Accreditation Body, and the American Accreditation Body.
ISO 53800 is the world’s first international standard dedicated to providing a comprehensive framework for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace. It covers key areas including internal policies, equal opportunities, leadership empowerment, pay equity, and fair organisational and administrative practices.
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