Women who advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion

In 1908, 15,000 women protested in New York for equal rights in respect of better working hours, better pay and the right to vote. International Women’s Day was made official in 1975 by the United Nations and has since been celebrated globally to raise awareness about gender discrepancies. However, although women globally are steadily breaking glass ceilings in the corporate world, there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality globally.

Here in the UAE, since the past 50 years we are proud to see how much women have achieved in a short space of time. Women have been supported with equal opportunities from the start in leading key sectors from government level to the boardroom, and enjoy the same decision-making rights and protections as their male counterparts at all levels.

“Diversity is our core aspect of what we are and how we work – RAALC Law Firm devolves on the principles of inclusion and diversity. It portrays a varied reflection of our society where we promote leadership and individuals”. RAALC Law Firm, UAE.

RAALC, founded in 2013 started as a litigation practice and has grown to encompass corporate, commercial, criminal, oil & gas, energy & renewables, construction, banking and finance, restructuring of businesses, exit strategies and support all your business needs. We are now growing to become UAE’s first smart-law firm to personalise our customer service built on innovative, smart technology.

Here at RAALC we promote the achievements of women, celebrate how far women have come in society and raise awareness to remove gender inequality. We believe it is important female counterparts have open discussions about negative experiences and challenges they experience in the workplace to remove barriers that may hold women back.

Sebina Noreen Malik, a UK qualified solicitor, recently joined RAALC in the corporate department. Sebina previously supported the Energy Sector, UK as Legal Counsel working alongside many talented and highly skilled women within the Sector and we listened to her concerns about the vast underrepresentation of women in various roles within the Energy Sector such as, engineers, product safety experts, board members, regulators, project managers, export control specialists, inspectors, senior managers, IT/cyber security/risk assessment technicians, property and sustainability specialists, construction design management and compliance experts, tax advisers, Health and Safety Executives and lawyers.

Sebina said: “Despite an increase in the number of females coming into the Sector, women globally continue to face gender bias in the workplace, which can disproportionately affect their career advancement and success. We must remember these possibly unintentional, yet automatic gender stereotypes are deep-rooted in the system, and it will take time to diminish them in the workplace. Organisations globally need to fully embrace a culture of equality, diversity and equity and provide opportunities through education, workshops and by changing internal policies so that women are treated fairly, provided with equal opportunities and that organisations support and assist employee development in the workplace, and to reduce prejudice and discrimination at all stages”.

Looking forward, Sebina envisions a future where the next generation of women will grow at leadership and board levels in all industries and professions, and we support her views.

The management team here at RAALC celebrate women’s achievements of women around the globe and praise the inspiring female clients and associates we work with. We wish you all a happy International Women’s Day, 2024.

Published by Sebina Noreen Malik

Sebina is a UK qualified solicitor. Over the past ten years she has experience with a mixture of contract drafting, litigation and dispute resolution matters. She is skilled in drafting and negotiating, she is solution oriented and committed to delivering excellent client service. Sebina has also worked with third party funders on various litigation cases. In her spare time, Sebina enjoys travelling, attending the theatre and is enthusiastic about fitness.