For years, the question has lingered: Can women truly have it all?
In the UAE, that question is being answered — boldly and differently.
A new study titled “State of Motherhood & Ambition in the UAE 2025” finds that 28% of mothers have started their own businesses during various stages of motherhood — from the first sleepless year after birth to a decade later.
The findings challenge long-standing stereotypes that motherhood dampens ambition. Instead, women across the Emirates are rewriting the narrative — proving that ambition doesn’t end with motherhood; it evolves.
Ambition That Adapts, Not Retreats
Conducted by researchers Constanze Munz and Anushka Kalyanpur De Luca, the study surveyed over 180 professional mothers across industries.
It found that seven in ten working mums have either maintained or strengthened their professional ambition after having children.
“This isn’t a story about women opting out,” the researchers said. “It’s about women innovating within constraints — and it’s time for systems to innovate with them.”
Many mothers aren’t stepping back; they’re stepping forward — on their own terms.
Some changed industries to pursue more meaningful work, while others returned to their companies with renewed purpose. Nearly half said they plan to start a business in the future, signalling a sustained rise in female-led entrepreneurship across the UAE.
Munz, founder of Both And, describes this shift as a conscious evolution:
“Mothers are not opting out; they’re opting for balance, meaning, and agency. They’re proving that ambition can evolve — and that’s what progress looks like.”
Support Systems That Fuel Success
The study also highlights a crucial truth: support systems drive ambition.
Among mothers with strong childcare support, 84% reported that their ambition remained steady or grew. But without reliable support, that number dropped to 55%.
Key enablers include:
- Flexible work arrangements – viewed as essential infrastructure, not a perk, by 65% of respondents.
- Financial stability – cited by nearly half as a major factor affecting confidence and focus.
- Reliable childcare – through better facilities, employer partnerships, or trusted community networks — the bedrock that allows ambition to thrive.
“When traditional workplaces don’t evolve, mothers build their own paths,” said De Luca, founder of Nannies & More, a Dubai-based childcare support platform. “But these individual fixes shouldn’t replace collective solutions. The systems around them must evolve too.”
From ‘Challenge’ to ‘Opportunity’
The research reframes motherhood not as a workplace “challenge” but as a national opportunity.
When mothers thrive, so does the economy.
“When mothers thrive, everyone thrives,” Munz added. “Families are stronger, businesses retain talent, and the economy benefits from women’s entrepreneurial energy.”
As the UAE continues to champion female participation in business and leadership, these findings point toward a broader social and economic awakening.
Conducted between June and November 2025, the study spanned mothers at every stage — from newborn care to raising teenagers. Its message is powerful and clear:
Ambition doesn’t fade with motherhood. It transforms — and with the right support, it flourishes.
Motherhood is no longer a pause button — it’s a power button.
Across the UAE, women are not leaving their ambitions behind; they’re simply redefining what success means. And in doing so, they’re not just changing their own stories — they’re shaping the future of the nation’s workforce and entrepreneurial landscape.
