© Twitter / Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, presented certificates and medals in the categories of "best government entity supporting gender balance", "best federal authority supporting gender balance" and "best gender balance initiative" at a ceremony held on Sunday.
"We are proud of the success of Emirati women and their role is central to shaping the future of the country. Gender balance has become a pillar in our governmental institutions," Sheik boasted, as he passed out medals to the finance ministry, the federal competitiveness and statistics authority and ministry of human resources respectively - all of which were represented by men.
To make no exemption, the "best personality supporting gender balance" was also awarded to a man. Kudos to the authorities, though, they also praised a woman - head of the Gender Balance Council - for "exemptional projects."
The UAE's Gender Balance Index awards are, at least in theory, awarded to those who helped government departments make progress over the last year, as part of female participation goals set in 2015.
Comment: If men hold all the top offices and they actually do work to advance gender equality, shouldn't they, by rights, get the awards? Who knows if these programs really make a difference in the life of an average UAE woman? One way to tell would be if more future award recipients are women.
As usual, Twitter skewered this perfectly wholesome, feel-good celebration, bombarding Dubai's media account with disrespectful memes and insincere words of congratulations.
"Wow really nailed the diversity there. One of those dudes was wearing gray," one reply read.
"Is there only one gender in Dubai?" another impressed Twitter user wrote.
It's not all bad for UAE women, however. According to media reports, the country boasts at least one amateur ice hockey player.
And it is also a highest ranked state for Gender equality in the Gulf region.
