DUBAI, 25th January, 2017 (WAM) -- National Bonds Corporation (National Bonds) has announced that it registered a 50 percent increase in the number of female regular savers in 2016 in comparison with 2015. In addition, the cumulative savings within the companys various programs grew by 43 percent last year.

Currently, National Bonds has more than 32 percent female bondholders of whom approximately 20 percent are minors. Since the establishment of the company in 2006, 62 women 30 UAE nationals and 32 expats have won its grand prize draw worth AED1 million, making up 40 percent of the total 160 winners.

Mohammed Qasim Al Ali, CEO of National Bonds, said: "These figures reflect the increase in awareness within the UAE community, among nationals and expats alike, about the significance of financial planning and financial responsibility. The growth in the number of regular savers among our customers is an important indicator of the remarkable change in peoples financial behavior they are increasingly recognizing their responsibility to build a better future for themselves and their families. This positive shift in overall financial culture translates into stability of society as a whole and supports the efforts of the government to achieve true sustainable development.""The surge in the number of female savers indicates the extent of womens contribution to economic activity and their commitment to their future through using saving as a tool to ensure financial health. Although the results reveal a disparity between the number of UAE national and expat female savers 35 percent compared to 63 percent respectively women still account for more than 32 percent of our total customer base.

"The UAE has made great strides towards womens empowerment in education as well as in employment. Within the public sector, women currently represent 66 percent of the total workforce, while men account for just 44 percent. These statistics are only natural, considering that female graduates of higher educational institutions outnumber their male counterparts. Women make up two-thirds of public university students and half of private university students," he added.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2017.