Sharjah Advocates More Dominant Role for Women in Technology under 2050 Roadmap

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SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates — As artificial intelligence reshapes global economies, the UAE is placing women at the heart of its global ambitions positioning them not only as participants, but as key contributors to the AI future.

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The message was echoed by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), who urged women to move beyond participation in technology to playing a leading role in shaping the future.

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Addressing the seventh edition of the Women in Technology 2026 Forum, hosted by SPARK on the theme “The 2050 Mindset,” HH Sheikha Bodour said: “2050 may seem far away, but it is being shaped by the decisions we make, the research we fund and the technologies we develop today. Women must therefore have a strong and influential presence in the places where the priorities, direction and purpose of technology are being determined, with the authority to shape its outcomes.”

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She highlighted the UAE’s experience in demonstrating what can be achieved when opportunity is matched with trust and responsibility, stressing the importance of enabling women everywhere to play a full role in building a technological future that serves people and advances the prosperity of societies.

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According to official figures, women account for around 50% of the workforce of the UAE National Space Programme and approximately 80% of the scientific team behind the UAE’s Hope Probe mission to Mars. They also represent more than 46% of graduates in STEM disciplines and around 70% of university graduates in the country.

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Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK, noted that the future is not a destination, but the outcome of choices made today. He stressed that empowering women in technology is not about inclusion, but about expanding societies’ capacity to innovate, compete and create a future.

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The forum comes as women remain underrepresented in several areas shaping the technology economy. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2026, women account for 36.6% of individual contributors in AI companies, 25.3% of senior leaders, and 19.3% of AI engineers.

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SPARK, a supporter of women’s empowerment, has introduced a Women in Technology Business Setup Package, offering a 50% discount on business setup, alongside licensing, business support, mentoring and networking opportunities in Sharjah’s innovation ecosystem.

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