In response to call from Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Office

National Archives to organize archives of General Women's Union

The National Archives has embarked on a mission to organize the archives of General Women’s Union. The initiative is in response to a call given by the office of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation and Chairwoman of the General Women's Union to the National Archives seeking constructive cooperation in organizing the Union’s archive.

A working group of the National Archives, headed by Hamad Al Mutairi, Acting Director of Archives Department at the National Archives visited the headquarters of General Women's Union in Abu Dhabi to formulate plans for the implementation of an integrated project for setting up a paper and digital archive. The task has been classified in accordance with the Federal law for the National Archives and international standards.

Al Mutairi said the historical archive of the General Women's Union draws its importance from the fact that it documents the tremendous efforts made and still being made by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima, and the pioneering role played by the Union in the development of the nation, particularly women.

“The winds of change had blown with the establishment of the Union of UAE on 2nd December 1971 and a new era began for women with the declaration by the founding leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that women constitute half of the society,” he said.

Al-Mutairi praised the care given by the General Women’s Union in carrying out developmental initiatives in the field of archives as it provided a suitable place appropriate to save the historical documents as per international standards for protecting archives.

He stressed that this care will facilitate the task of National Archives in completing the arrangements for setting up an archive that enjoys international standards in organizational aspects and introducing modern technologies for electronic archiving, which contributes to the preservation of national historical documents and facilitates easy access to information.

The working group reviewed, with the participation of stakeholders from the General Women's Union, the policy requirements for arranging the documents and the necessary procedures and standards that must be followed for the organization of the historical archives of the Union.

Al Mutairi placed high value on the General Women's Union’s initiative and its call to the National Archives to regulate the Union’s archive according to the highest standards in the world.

“The Women's Union archive acquires its significance from the role played by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima through her activities that supported the country’s women in establishing high status. It has been written down in history as the most wonderful example, which elevated the position of Emirati women enabling them to participate with men in realizing the country’s achievements in a record time,” he said.

“Her Highness made great efforts by granting a big part of her time to women's associations as she realized the role of women in society building movement. Therefore, the National Archives gives all the attention and admiration to the history of Emirati women because it represents an important part of the history of the state and its development and prosperity under its wise leadership,” Al Mutairi.