Page 95 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
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REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

        ital participation team, acknowledging the accomplishments real-  balance. It highlights the significant role of women in the broader
        ized in recent years. He said: “Today, the UAE ranks first in the Arab   telecommunications sector, including ITU-affiliated areas like radio
        Region in the Digital Participation Index and is a global leader in   communications. The Network aims to encourage women to ac-
        this domain. The launch of the updated version of the digital partic-  tively and effectively participate as delegates, presidents, and vice
        ipation platform marks a significant milestone in our ongoing digi-  presidents in ITU’s events, including WRC-23. In his speech to the
        tal transformation journey, representing a pivotal moment towards   Network,  His  Excellency  Engineer  Mohammed  Al  Ramsi,  Deputy
        attaining  further  milestones  aligned  with  the  'We the  UAE  2031'   Director-General of TDRA for the Telecommunications Sector, and
        vision, emphasizing the transition from one pinnacle of success   the President of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023
        to another. Our emphasis on digital participation aligns with future   (WRC-23), highlighted the crucial role played by women in the glob-
        trends, aiming to drive key indicators of digital transformation, in-  al telecommunications sector. He noted that the UAE is among the
        cluding the E-Government Development Index, the Online Service   leading  countries  in  supporting  and  empowering women in  this
        Index,  and  others.”  Al  Zarooni  added:  “Participation  has  always   sector, recognizing their capabilities in achieving milestones and
        been integrated in our cultural fabric, woven into the tapestry of   propelling forward the digital transformation based on the latest
        our national journey. As we transition into the age of e-government   ICTs. He stated, "As the World Radiocommunication Conference
        and subsequently embrace the era of comprehensive and integrat-  approaches its conclusion, we can affirm that this edition marks a
        ed digital living, digital participation has emerged as a pivotal indi-  new milestone in the accomplishments of women in the telecom-
        cator that we are committed to nurturing and advancing with each   munications  sector. It  is  important  to highlight  that  the  woman
        passing year.” The launch event included a workshop organized by   leadership of the WRC and the ITU, exemplified by Secretary-Gen-
        TDRA, designed to address the challenges encountered by federal   eral Her Excellency Doreen Bogdan-Martin, serves as a testament
        entities in digital participation. The workshop aimed to establish a   to this progress. Throughout the conference duration, we observed
        cohesive and standardized approach for digital participation within   the distinguished involvement of women in study committees, dis-
        federal entities. Key aspects included the imperative of planning   cussions, and the management of participating delegations. This
        and monitoring participation at the entity’s internal level, fostering   involvement makes us feel a sense of pride. In the UAE, we are
        awareness about participation components, standardizing practic-  pleased with this achievement, which resonates with the UAE’s es-
        es across entities, broadening the scope of topics related to partic-  teemed status, as a result of limitless support from the leadership
        ipation, and reinforcing the principle of public participation by pre-  since the establishment of the ITU. The event featured a speech
        senting topics of interest to the customers. The workshop delved   by His Excellency Mario Maniewicz, Director of the ITU Radiocom-
        into various digital participation initiatives in the UAE, addressing   munication Bureau. He praised the role of women in humanitarian
        the establishment of a digital participation team and defining its   issues related to the ICT sector, with a focus on radio communica-
        responsibilities. The discussion addressed different types of digi-  tions and their significance in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolu-
        tal participation campaigns, ranging from publications and opinion   tion. The women members in the Network belong to delegations
        polls to blogs. Additionally, the initiatives covered guidelines stipu-  from 193 countries participating in the World Radiocommunication
        lated in the Digital Participation Guide, offering comprehensive in-  Conference 2023. The event included honoring the regional group
        sights into the effective application of digital participation through   leaders of the Network of Women in the Telecommunications Sec-
        the shared platform. It emphasized utilizing UAE Pass for logging   tor who took part in this year's conference. Honoring included fe-
        in to leverage the interactive features available on the platform.   male members of the Radio Advisory Group (RAG) concerned with
        The ceremony, organized by TDRA, concluded with the acknowl-  gender equality, acknowledging their steadfast efforts in advanc-
        edgment of the members of the digital transformation and digital   ing the success of the conference agenda. The guidance program
        participation teams. It's noteworthy that Sharik.ae platform stands   of the Network of Women, both in a general sense and specifically
        as  the  official  digital  participation  platform  for  the  UAE  Govern-  at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), involves
        ment. It is committed to aiding government entities in implement-  providing support to direct and guide female participants, helping
        ing participation across its three stages: digital information, digital   them get nominated and actively participate in various committees
        consultation, and digital decision-making.             and teams. This is based on accomplishments of numerous par-
        (December 20, 2023) www.tdra.gov.ae                    ticipants throughout the ITU’s history and its diverse conferences.
                                                               Prominent  instances  include  the  appointment  of  Her  Excellency
        The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Au-  Doreen Bogdan as the Secretary-General of the ITU, being the first
        thority  (TDRA),  in  collaboration  with  the  International  Telecom-  time a woman holds this position in the ITU’s history. Additionally,
        munication  Union  (ITU),  organized  a  ceremony  to  celebrate  the   Mrs. Carol Wilson assumed the role of the elected President of the
        Network of Women in the Telecommunications Sector. The event   Radiocommunication  Assembly  (RA-23).  She  is  the  first  woman
        was witnessed by hundreds of women from delegations of 193   to hold this position in history of the ITU. TDRA's involvement in
        countries participating in the World Radiocommunication Confer-  the Network of Women in the Telecommunications Sector (NOW)
        ence 2023. This celebration is one of the international traditions   event signifies its commitment to the UAE Government’s strategy
        followed by the ITU in significant global events, including WRC-23   for the overall empowerment of women and TDRA’s strategy for
        organized in Dubai from 20 November to 15 December 2023. The   empowering women in  the  telecommunications  and  digital  gov-
        conference aims to review radio regulations and the international   ernment  sectors.  This  commitment  is  realized  through  the  im-
        treaties governing the use of radio frequency spectrum and satel-  provement of policies and the implementation of initiatives that
        lite orbits. The Network of Women in the Telecommunications Sec-  prioritize gender equality. It is worth noting that the percentage of
        tor is an initiative originating from the efforts of the International   female employees at TDRA is 42% out of the total workforce.
        Telecommunication Union. Its primary focus is to promote gender   (December 13, 2023) www.tdra.gov.ae
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