The Government of Dubai held a 鈥淕ender Balance Index鈥� awards ceremony on Sunday -- and all the winners were men.

鈥淲e are proud of the success of Emirati women and their role is central to shaping the future of the country,鈥� Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, said of the awards, according to the official . 鈥淕ender balance has become a pillar in our governmental institutions.鈥�

The United Arab Emirates, or U.A.E., is an absolute monarchy in the Arabian Peninsula. Dubai is the most populous of the seven emirates that form the country, each of which is ruled by a hereditary leader.

Dubai鈥檚 gender balance awards were offered in three categories: best personality supporting gender balance, best federal authority supporting gender balance and the best gender balance initiative. An honour was also given for the best government entity supporting gender balance. They were received by two male Emirati royals -- one of whom is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum鈥檚 brother -- as well as two male government officials.

At the ceremony, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also 鈥渞ecognised the efforts鈥� of one woman, according to the Dubai Media Office. That was his eldest daughter, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who heads the U.A.E.鈥檚 Gender Balance Council.

鈥淭he Council was praised for its exceptional projects that helped achieve the nation鈥檚 goals of gender balance,鈥� a .

That statement also mentioned that Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum used the occasion to express 鈥渉is appreciation for the sincere efforts鈥� of another female royal: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who serves as the president of the U.A.E.鈥檚 Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood as well as the supreme chairwoman of the country鈥檚 Family Development Foundation.

It is unclear if those two women -- or any others, for that matter -- were nominated for awards. The Government of Dubai Media office did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

The places the U.A.E. 121 out of 149 countries -- the third highest rank in the Middle East and North Africa after Israel and Tunisia, but well behind most countries in Europe, Asia and North and South America. In its report, the World Economic Forum said the U.A.E. has seen 鈥渁 reduction of the (gender) gap with regard to legislators, senior officials and managers and healthy life expectancy, counterbalanced by a widening gender gap in wage equality.鈥� The Global Gender Gap report ranks Canada at 16.