Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, wife of H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan, the Leader of the feminine activity.

General overview:

H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Al Ketbi was born in Al Hayer in Al Ain city, as the only daughter to her parents. She was married to H.H. Sheikh Zayed, the president of the UAE during 1960s when he was the ruler of the eastern region. H.H. Sheikha Fatima used to assist H.H Sheikh Zayed in all different difficult situations especially at the beginning of the foundation of the country and the early efforts of modernization and infrastructure construction.

 

H.H. Sheikha Fatima moved to Abu Dhabi city when H.H. Sheikh Zayed seized the rule of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on 16th August 1966. Since then her march of knowledge and literacy has begun widely and diversely with many fields including the holy Quran, Sunnah, history, languages, humanities and other liberal studies, as well as her responsibility as a wife for the ruler of Abu Dhabi and task of brining up her children during that critical period.

 

Thus, there was a big necessity to establish a women committee, so that H.H. could meet the ladies of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and encourage them to prepare themselves in order to be able to fulfill their missions toward the nation, the society and the family. H.H Sheikha Fatima started a wide campaign of emancipation of illiteracy to insist on educating the girls as illiteracy is our first enemy.

 

In 1973, the of Abu Dhabi Women Development Society was established as the first feminine assembly in the country in which H.H Sheikha Fatima set up the initial basics for feminine great achievements after the declaration of the UAE’s foundation as a strongly united entity on the 2nd of December 1971. The feminine activity has received a great deal of importance since the women sector represents the second half of the society as being in charge with brining up the new generations and achieving the national dream of the  modern state.

 

Consequently, H.H Sheikha Fatima opened her sitting hall to meet her country’s ladies and participates with them in building the modern state following the steps of H.H Sheikh Zayed in the constructional march in which both men and women co–operate to develop the country.

 

From the very beginning, she was the representative of women as she used to meet the country’s ladies and pioneers of feminine activity twice a week before the establishment of women union in 1975 to be the only representative of women in the UAE and to participate in the first women summit conference in Mexico city in the same year. Thus, the feminine march has determined its way as set by H.H. Sheikh Zayed and his brothers the rulers of the Emirates to enable the women to fulfill their ambitions and participate in the process of social and political decision making. Throughout thirty years of achievement, H.H Sheikha Fatima could offer many things to the Emarati women, and this book shows us some of these achievements and offers.

 

H.H. Sheikha Fatima is the mother of their highnesses Mohammed bin Zayed, Hamdan , Hazzaa, Tahnoun, Mansour, Abdullah, Shamaa and Alyazia Al Nahyan.

As a symbol for the development and self determination of the Emarati women, H.H Sheikh Fatima affirms that the women sector is not only a half of the society but it is also the most active part that can prove that each great nation has a great woman behind it. Her tribute in Cairo today is essentially a tribute for the Emarati women in particular and the women every where in general. The honoring of H.H. Sheikha Fatima on the Egyptian land where H.E. Hussni Mubarak granted her the Excellent Medal of Perfection, that is mostly the highest medal granted for kings’ and presidents’ spouses, on May 18, 2003.

It is an acknowledgment of her efforts and determination in this feminine march. These achievements wouldn’t have been done unless there had been a sage leadership that was aware of the women’s role which was integrative not competitive with men. The women’s rights didn’t let them ignore about their duties taking into consideration that they had preserved their cultural and traditional values. It was a leadership that believed in the significance of the woman’s role as a housewife and a maker of generations, and their work is additional to what man can do and not on the expense of their families. H.H Sheikha Fatima is an example for women in her standing with her husband in all circumstances in brining up their children, preserving her religious and traditional principles, having prudence and insight, and interacting with all modern development chosen for our environment and society. This honoring comes true especially when it is realized to the mother of sheikhs and leader of feminine work.

 

H.H. Sheikha Fatima has developed a feminine work in the UAE complementary to the national deed and used her outstanding and sublime efforts to let women contribute in all fields of life; religious and national.

 

H.H. has never forgot the sufferings of our people in Palestine and never abandoned their support, as well as in Kosovo. Now H.H. is supporting our people in Iraq to ease their pains and sorrows, and let them feel of life again. Therefore her honoring in Egypt was an attribute to every woman seeking a positive role in supporting her society, family and country, and at the same time it was an attribute to everybody targeting a glorious achievement with all motifs of faithfulness and scarification.