The senators took part in the Third Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024.
A Federation Council delegation took part in the Third Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2024 which centred on three main topics: Impactful Technologies, Impactful Innovations; Future Economies, Future Societies; and Collective Engagements, Collective Actions. Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Inna Svyatenko and member of the Federation Council’s Committee on Science, Education and Culture Olga Shchetinina represented Russia at the events.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko sent greetings to the forum’s organisers and participants. “This large-scale event is a compelling confirmation of the fact that the world has made a huge step forward in ensuring equal rights for women, and increasing their role in the economy, social sphere, and international politics. Much of the credit for this goes to international and national women’s organisations, parliaments, governments, and civil societies,” the Federation Council Speaker said.
In her message, she emphasised how women are shaping the global agenda by raising diverse and pressing issues. Valentina Matvienko cited the Federation Council-sponsored Eurasian Women’s Forum as an example of a venue that promotes projects and initiatives aimed at boosting women’s participation in public and political life.
“Supporting women’s activity at all levels and the official recognition of their intellectual and creative potential is essential for ensuring prosperity and well-being of nations and building a better future for all,” the Federation Council Speaker said.
Inna Svyatenko met with UAE Federal National Council Speaker Saqr Ghobash emphasising the growing strength and warmth of Russia-UAE relations. “The inter-parliamentary ties between Russia and the UAE are maintained at a high level thus mirroring the level of bilateral relations between our countries. Our meeting is another compelling confirmation of the constructive and friendly nature of our interaction.”
Inna Svyatenko held a number of bilateral meetings, including with South African Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga. “Russia places great emphasis on deepening ties with South Africa, with which we share traditional ties of friendship and cooperation. A trust-based dialogue is maintained between Moscow and Pretoria at the top and high levels. We are expanding cooperation with South Africa in the humanitarian sphere. The Federation Council has a group on cooperation with the National Council of Provinces of South Africa under the leadership of Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy Andrey Kutepov,” the Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council said.
Inna Svyatenko and Olga Shchetinina took part in the forum opening ceremony, the theme-based discussion “Women in Parliament: Exceptional Abilities” and spoke at the seminar titled “Women: An Essential Element in Creativity and Art.”
According to the Deputy Federation Council Speaker, the forum participants engaged in productive exchanges, and new ideas and projects across a variety of spheres will emerge as a result. “Female voices are heard increasingly louder not only within the borders of their own countries, but also on the most influential international platforms of high standing. Differences of religions and cultures cannot stay in the way of a constructive dialogue. The events of the Third Global Women’s Forum are a case in point.”
“Women play a vital creative role in politics, the economy, and social, spiritual, as well as other spheres of public life. In Russia, in 2023, the index of women’s business activity reached a historic high of 73.7 percent. Many Russian women said they saw good business prospects,” Inna Svyatenko said.
Presenting the Russian Federation’s experience at the international venue, the Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council provided an overview of the measures to expand women’s participation in the country’s socioeconomic areas of prime importance, which are being implemented as part of the National Action Strategy for Women to 2030.The strategy provides for measures to integrate women into the digital economy, to expand women’s participation in high-tech industries, and to encourage women to acquire technical knowledge and skills for the digital economy. “With rapid strides made by the creativity-driven industries, measures will be taken to promote women’s technological entrepreneurship,” Inna Svyatenko pointed out, saying that women account for over 58 percent of the workforce employed in this fast-growing sector.
Olga Schetinina stressed that just like the Eurasian Women’s Forum, the Global Women’s Forum Dubai provides an important dialogue and cooperation platform, which helps women from around the world not only to advance their ideas and projects across a variety of areas from the economy to IT, business and civil society life, world culture and creativity-driven industries, but also to build bridges of friendship between different cultures and to strengthen ties between peoples.
“Women are inspired by the traditions of their respective countries and create amazing things that enrich world culture and promote intercultural exchanges,” the senator said. “For example, they play an important role in preserving traditional crafts such as textiles, ceramics and painting, merging them with modern trends. Together, we can create a future based on respect, mutual understanding and the value of each individual,” the senator said.
The Global Women’s Forum was held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region in 2016, and again in 2020, thus establishing itself as a global platform for advancing international cooperation. This year, the forum’s agenda included over 65 sessions with more than 200 speakers. The total number of participants exceeded 3,000.