)
The Gender Balance Index 2018 awards held on Sunday offered up to three prizes for people or departments who champion women and the pursuit of gender equality in Dubai, according to Business Insider.
The awards as presented to the winners are as follows:
§ Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance
§ Best Federal & Institutional Authority Supporting Gender Balance
)
![Over time, eating sugar before bed this can lead to obesity [EbonyMagazine]](https://image.api.sportal365.com/process/smp-images-production/pulse.com.gh/27092024/6deb9b8d-0e88-463a-abf7-0c2a0d4a1ae3?operations=autocrop(340:210))
)
§ Best Gender Balance Initiative
)
A 'gender balance' awards in which winners are all men
Questions started ‘flying’ after the Dubai government's media office tweeted a photo of the winners after the ceremony, saying the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum "honors the winners of the Gender Balance Index 2018."
Interestingly, the only woman who was recognised verbally was Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, but she did not win any of the awards.
The government’s press statement said she undertook "exceptional projects that helped achieve the nation's goals of gender balance."
A 'gender balance' awards in which winners are all men
As if the bizarre development had not come to his attention, the Dubai leader himself commended the ceremony, saying it was a “great effort led by many parties to establish an environment that achieves a balance between the two sexes."
The UN Human Development Report recognised the United Arab Emirates for championing gender balance in the Middle East, with a Gender Development Index (GDI) of 0.97 compared to Saudi Arabia’s 0.88, reports say.
Business Insider has gathered some twitter reactions to the weird ‘gender balance’ awards.
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."
)
A 'gender balance' awards in which winners are all men
Oz Katerji, freelance conflict and rights journalist tweeted: "This would be funny, if it was not so utterly depressing."
"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."
This controversial awards ceremony, seems to suggest that men in Dubai are putting more efforts in the fight for gender balance than women themselves for whose sake the initiative exists.