Expo City Dubai is marking Emirati Women’s Day with a flagship programme, “Her City, Her Future”, at the Women’s Pavilion.
Maha Gorton
The event highlights the role of Emirati women in reshaping urban design and calls attention to the global lack of gender consideration in city planning.
Globally, women remain underrepresented in urban development, with less than a quarter of architects and one in three urban planners being female. According to figures cited by Expo City Dubai, 75 per cent of infrastructure projects are developed without factoring in gender-specific needs. The result is urban environments that often feel unsafe or inaccessible for women, who make up half of the world’s population. Research indicates that cities designed with women in mind are safer and more sustainable for all residents.
“True representation in city-making creates spaces where everyone belongs,” said Maha Gorton (pictured), Head of the Women’s Pavilion. “Emirati women are helping to shape this vision, leading conversations and redefining the future of our cities.”
Free and open to the public, Her City, Her Future explores themes including urban design, wellness, safety, sports, arts and culture, and economic innovation, through the lens of women’s leadership. It reflects the 2025 Emirati Women’s Day theme Hand in Hand, Celebrating the 50th and Expo City Dubai’s wider commitment to inclusion.
The programme includes keynote addresses by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority, and Muna Easa Al Gurg, Founder of the Meem Foundation. Other speakers include Dr Alamira Reem Al Hashimi, the first Emirati woman to earn a PhD in Urban Planning; UAE national footballer Areej AlHammadi; and Cinema Akil founder Butheina Kazim.
Expo City Dubai has positioned itself as a hub for inclusivity, with initiatives such as its Certified Autism Center recognition. The event also serves as a prelude to the Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors’ Forum, which will take place at Expo City in October. Its Women’s World Majlis will further advance discussions on gender-responsive urban policy.
As Maha Gorton continued: “When women are at the centre of urban design, entire communities benefit. The urban spaces we create in Dubai today will shape how future generations live, connect and thrive, and Emirati women are helping ensure they work for everyone.”
