Balancing Vision & Velocity: UAE Gender Balance Council Website Revamp 2025

Objective

The UAE Gender Balance Council (GBC), a federal entity responsible for reducing the gender gap and enhancing the UAE’s global competitiveness, required a comprehensive digital overhaul. Their existing online presence needed to evolve into a dynamic, bilingual content hub that could effectively communicate the nation’s ambitious “Gender Balance Strategy 2026.” The goal was to position the UAE as a global benchmark for gender equality legislation and initiatives.

Challenge

• Strategic Communication: The site had to distil complex policy documents, global competitiveness reports, and federal decrees into accessible, engaging narratives for a diverse audience ranging from government officials to international NGOs.
• Bilingual Content Depth: GBC required a “full revamp”, including the creation of entirely new content in both English and Arabic. This wasn’t just translation; it required cultural nuance to articulate concepts like “Gender Responsive Budgeting” and “Corporate Board Quotas” effectively in both languages.
• Data Visualisation: A key mandate was to showcase the UAE’s progress in global rankings (e.g., UNDP, World Bank). The challenge was to present this heavy statistical data in a visually digestible, mobile-friendly format.
• Staging to Live: The project involved a rigorous staging phase to ensure pixel-perfect design and content accuracy before the high-profile federal launch

Solution

GTECH delivered a full-scale redesign and development project, moving beyond simple aesthetics to create a strategic digital resource.

1. Strategic Web Development (WordPress)

• Custom Theme Architecture: We developed a bespoke WordPress theme designed for speed and flexibility. The architecture supported heavy content modules such as the “Gender Balance Guide” and “Legislation Library” without compromising load times.
• Interactive Data Dashboards: GTECH integrated interactive charts that visualised the UAE’s trajectory in global indices over the last decade. Users could toggle between years and specific indices (like the Social Progress Index or Human Development Report), making the data interactive rather than static.
• Resource Library: We engineered a searchable document repository for the “Gender Balance Guide” and “OECD Reports,” allowing users to filter resources by topic, year, and file type.

2. Content Creation & Localisation

• Narrative Design: GTECH’s content team worked closely with the Council to rewrite the site’s core messaging. We shifted the tone from purely administrative to inspirational, highlighting success stories of Emirati women in STEM, diplomacy, and leadership.
• Bilingual SEO Copywriting: We crafted original content in both English and Arabic, ensuring that key terms related to gender policy were optimised for search engines in both regions. This ensured the UAE’s achievements were discoverable by international researchers and local stakeholders alike.

3. UX/UI Design

• Accessibility First: Recognising the inclusivity of the mission, the site was designed to meet WCAG 2.1 standards, ensuring accessibility for users with disabilities.
• Refined Government Aesthetic: The design balanced “federal authority” with “modern approachability.” We used a clean, white-space-dominant layout with gold and black accents to align with the UAE’s federal branding, while introducing soft motion effects to keep the user engaged.

Results

Conclusion