Dubai Police has introduced female lifeguards for the first time in the history of the Al Gaffal Dhow Race as part of its 45-strong rescue and support team. This milestone introduction is a big step towards gender equality in marine safety personnel, particularly at one of the UAE’s most elite traditional sailing events.
The Al Gaffal Race, a cultural icon of the UAE’s seafaring traditions, involves more than a hundred wooden traditional dhows racing through an epic quest from Sir Bu Nair Island to the shores of Dubai. With unstable sea conditions and a lengthy course, safety is an absolute priority — so the addition of trained female lifeguards as part of the race’s emergency preparedness is a powerful symbol.
Dubai Police assured that these ladies have received hard training in maritime rescue, crisis management, and first aid. Their addition is not only reinforcing the operational level of the rescue unit but is also highlighting women’s increasing prominence in high-reliability sectors of public services in the UAE.
The project embodies Dubai’s wider vision for empowerment and inclusion, part of national efforts to support women in leadership and field positions. While the Al Gaffal dhows’ sails slice through the waters of the Gulf, the visibility of women lifeguards represents a new emblem of tradition intersecting with modernity.
