On Emirati Women’s Day, Zayed Authority for People of Determination: Maitha Al Shamsi, a Model of a Woman Who Turned Empowerment into Impact

From the Support of “Mother of the Emirates” for Emirati Women… to Empowering People of Determination and Creating Humanitarian Impact


The journey of Emirati women is not measured by the positions they reach, but by the impact they leave behind, the opportunities they create for others, and the people they empower to become stronger and better.

In this spirit, and on the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day 2026, Zayed Authority for People of Determination highlights the journey of Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, as a model of an Emirati woman who has made giving, empowerment, and service to humanity an established approach. Her commitment and support have extended to People of Determination, driven by her belief in their capabilities and their right to participate, create, and make an impact.

This national recognition comes under the theme “We Will Become Stronger and Better,” launched by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates,” reaffirming a national journey founded on the belief that women are true partners in building the family, society, and nation, and that their empowerment is complete when their achievements become an added value to the lives of others, society, and humanity.

Amid the support Emirati women receive from Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Her Excellency Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi has presented a model of a woman who transformed the knowledge, experience, and responsibility she gained into lasting giving and impact that extends beyond personal achievement. People of Determination have been one of the areas in which this commitment has been reflected in a practical and sustainable manner.

The initiative to produce sustainable bags for the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women stands as one of the experiences that best reflects this approach. In 2023, coinciding with the “Year of Sustainability,” women of determination enrolled in sewing workshops at care and rehabilitation centers in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra participated in producing 1,200 bags made from recycled fabrics and materials, which were presented to the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women.

Yet the story was not simply about bags crafted by creative hands; it was about capabilities finding their path to giving. A skill became a product, the product became an initiative, and the initiative became a humanitarian message that reached refugee women—an example of moving women of determination from the role of recipients to that of active partners in creating good.

The initiative’s impact extended to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where Zayed Authority for People of Determination, in cooperation with the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women and the Emirates Red Crescent, participated in an event held at the Mrajeeb Al Fhood Refugee Camp on the occasion of World Refugee Day, with the participation of approximately 200 refugee women in designing handbags using reused materials.

In this experience, four messages came together in one scene: empowering People of Determination, empowering women, sustainability, and humanitarian action. An initiative that began in sewing workshops in the UAE was transformed into cross-border humanitarian impact.

Zayed Authority for People of Determination affirmed that Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi represents an outstanding model of an Emirati woman who has made excellence a responsibility, giving an approach, and empowering people a goal. The Authority noted that her support and commitment to People of Determination reflect her belief in their capabilities and their role as active partners in society.

The Authority stated: “Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi embodies a model of an Emirati woman who did not make her success an end in itself, but transformed it into a broader space for giving and empowering others. Her support and commitment to People of Determination have contributed to strengthening their confidence in their capabilities and creating opportunities for them to participate, innovate, and give. This affirms that true empowerment is not limited to providing support; rather, it is about giving people the confidence, opportunity, and space to become partners in giving and creating impact.”

The Authority further affirmed that this approach is rooted in the vision established by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates,” to empower women and strengthen their role in development and humanitarian giving. This vision has produced distinguished national models that have made women’s success an additional force for society and their presence a responsibility toward humanity.

It noted that the journey of Her Excellency Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi offers a clear reflection of this vision. Supporting and empowering women does not stop at giving them an opportunity to succeed; it extends to creating new opportunities for others. This has been reflected in her commitment to supporting People of Determination and enhancing their participation in social and humanitarian fields.

The Authority emphasized that highlighting this journey on Emirati Women’s Day is not solely about honoring an individual achievement, but about showcasing a national model that embodies the value of women when they use their experience and position to serve humanity. It also affirms that a woman’s success can become a starting point for the success of others.

Accordingly, Zayed Authority for People of Determination continues to highlight national figures who have contributed to supporting and empowering People of Determination, foremost among them Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, as a model of an Emirati woman who transformed excellence into responsibility, support into empowerment, and empowerment into impact.