(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar's female labour participation rate of 59.1 percent is currently above the global average and the highest in the Arab world, Qatari Businesswomen Association's (QBWA) Vice-Chairwoman Aisha Al Fardan (pictured) has said.
Al Fardan was speaking as the featured keynote speaker at a webinar on ‘Qatari Businesswomen: Shaping the Present. Leading the Future', which was organised by the Qatari Embassy in the US in partnership with Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT), the United States-Qatar Business Council (USQBC), and the QBWA to celebrate International Women's Day recently.
The virtual event, which was coordinated by the Office of the Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of Qatar, highlighted leadership roles of Qatari women in workforce. The discussion also highlighted the success of Qatari women in the corporate space, executive management, and boardroom decisions.
'This event showcases the leadership roles Qatari women hold, as well as advances women are making in various fields, added Al Fardan.
Panelists during event noted that Qatari women today hold executive positions in all industries and government, in addition to being strong leaders in a variety of fields, including the medical and engineering sectors as well as entrepreneurship.
Other notable speakers who were leading Qatari and American businesswomen included President of USQBC, Ambassador Anne Patterson, President of WIIT, Andrea Durkin, Vice-President and Head of Government Relations at MetLife EMEA, Amanda Horan, Board Member at QBWA and Restauranteur, Mishael Al Ansari, acclaimed Entrepreneur and Founder of Saikl, Reem Al Suwaidi, celebrated Chef and Founder of SOCIÉTÉ, Chef Sara Al Sayyed, and Chief of Staff of US Congressman Rick Larsen, Terra Sabag.
Also speaking during the event, Patterson said: 'Qataris know no country can become an economic powerhouse without valuing the contributions of all women.
Businesswomen from the US will find a warm welcome and excellent opportunities in this rapidly growing market. For women, Qatar is a great base to do business in the rest of the region.
The Qatar National Vision 2030 puts a large emphasis on effective participation of women in the country's labour force. The Qatar Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022 also specifically addresses how 'taking advantage of highly educated Qatari women is central to the country's transition to a knowledge-based economy.
Qatari Businesswomen Association's (QBWA) Vice-Chairwoman Aisha Al Fardan, President of United States-Qatar Business Council, Ambassador Anne Patterson, and other female leaders from Qatar and the US during the webinar recently.
Durkin said: 'Qatari women's role in business is a key component of the country's future economic growth. Through both private and public sector initiatives, Qatar is becoming a leader in women empowerment in the region.
The Qatari government has empowered women in the country through access to education, economic participation, and career opportunities supporting growth. In the country's higher education system, including over seven American-based universities, there are twice as many female students enrolled in universities as males with nearly two-thirds of all graduates in Qatar being women. As women transition to the working world, Qatari females also receive important incentives and assistance to grow their business with 60 percent of grant recipients from the Qatar Business Incubation Center being women. These initiatives, among others, have resulted in Qatari females achieving the second lowest women's unemployment rate in the world.
'Qatar has taken major strides to support and inspire women both in educational and business pursuits. As a result, today in Qatar there are twice as many female students enrolled in universities as males and 30 percent of decision-making roles in the country are occupied by women, said Al Ansari.
To support more women in business, the QBWA provides a networking platform to empower professional women. Qatar's Supreme Council for Family Affairs has also established the Women's Affairs Committee in 1998 to propose policies, plans and programmes to upgrade the potential of women culturally, economically and politically.
Al Suwaidi said: 'Qatari women are supported and encouraged to pursue careers in all industries and given the opportunity to grow into leadership positions. From micro businesses, SMEs, and even in large corporations, Qatari women are a central part of the country's growing economy.
Al Sayyed added: 'Each woman should invest in herself, with a strategy to improve knowledge in a business sector and gain a know-how to operate in any segment whether it be F & B, real estate, or fashion. By following this, a woman will be perceived as an asset to others. Throughout the country, women are growing in prominence in Qatar's business environment and hold key leadership positions. This is reflected both in government and the private sector, and we expect this momentum to continue to build.
During the event, the Office of the Commercial Attaché at the Qatari Embassy in the US, presented an acrylic painting by acclaimed Qatari artist Maryam Al Mulla to the WIIT DC Chapter, to recognise the association's role in coordinating the event to celebrate Qatari women and their economic contributions.
The event was concluded by Dana Al Fardan's music video, 'Rising, which featured behind the scenes footage of the making of the video with Al Fardan and the United States Air Force band at the Central Command at Katara studios in Qatar. Dana Al Fardan is Qatar's only female contemporary composer and was recently appointed as the official composer for Qatar Airways global flights. She has also composed the official song for the Lusail stadium, which will host the opening and closing matches of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
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