Dubai held a 'gender balance' awards, and every single winner is a man

Dubai Government Media Office

Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Nasser bin Thani Juma al-Hamli (L,) and the director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Abdulla Nasser Lootah (R,) collect their awards from the leader of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, on January 27, 2019.

• Dubai's government held its annual gender balance awards on Sunday, where all the prizes went to men.
• The Gender Balance Index for the federal government 2018 offered three awards: best gender personality, best initiative, and best department. 
• Two male government department heads, and one male military officer received framed golden trophies from Dubai's emir.
• Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum "recognised the efforts" of one woman, but she did not get an award.
• Despite the poor optics, the United Arab Emirates is well above the average for gender balance in the region, according to the UN. 

The Dubai government held its annual gender balance awards on Sunday, and men walked away with all every trophy.

The Gender Balance Index 2018 awards offered up three prizes for people or departments who champion women and the pursuit of gender equality in Dubai.

These were a gender "personality" award, an award for a workplace initiative to make men and women more equal, and a departmental award for supporting gender balance.

The Dubai government's media office tweeted a photo of the winners after the ceremony, who were all men. 

The tweet said the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, "honors the winners of the Gender Balance Index 2018."

The Sheikh "recognised the efforts" of one woman, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

She carried out "exceptional projects that helped achieve the nation's goals of gender balance," the press statement said - but she did not win an award. 

She is also a member of the royal family and the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

On his personal Twitter account, the Sheikh described the awards as: "A great effort led by many parties to establish an environment that achieves a balance between the two sexes."

Dubai Government Media Office

The Sheikh with the director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Abdulla Nasser Lootah (R,) on January 27, 2019.

The United Arab Emirates is one of the leaders in the middle east for gender balance, according to UN Human Development Reports, with a Gender Development Index (GDI) of 0.97. This compares with 0.88 in Saudi Arabia. 

After the government's press office tweeted the images, people were quick to notice the lack of female award winners. 

Dubai Government Media Office

The Sheikh with Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed al-Nahyan on January 27, 2019.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Golnaz Esfandiari tweeted: "All winners of Gender Balance Index are men!?"

Nicholas McGeehan, a former Middle East Researcher with Human Rights Watch, tweeted: "Best Gender Balance Awards Ever."

Oz Katerji, freelance conflict and rights journalist tweeted: "This would be funny, if it was not so utterly depressing."

In the statement Dubai's government said: "Over the past four years, the UAE Gender Balance Council has launched several initiatives and projects to promote gender balance in the country and move towards greater success and global leadership."

Dubai Government Media Office

The four male winners of the awards with Dubai's Sheikh, pictured on January 27, 2019.

"The achievements of Emirati women today reaffirm the wise vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who believed in the importance of the role of women, and their right to work and become key partners in society."

The full titles of the awards were:

• Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance
• Best Federal & Institutional Authority Supporting Gender Balance 
• Best Gender Balance Initiative

Business Insider has contacted officials in Dubai for comment, but has yet to receive a reply.