GCC women power through glass ceiling

Women in GCC countries have broken through the glass ceiling and have established their credentials in traditionally male-dominated disciplines. According to a report released on Wednesday by Al-Masah Capital women are impacting positively on the social, political, cultural, and economic aspects of their respective societies.
Although women constitute a lower percentage of the population, they have a higher enrollment rate in higher education than men. The report underscores the need, however, for women to have a commensurate participation in the workforce where it is still at a relatively low level.
“Women have a higher literacy rate,” says Shailesh Dash, CEO of Al-Masah Capital. “But we are seeing them become a driving force contrary to the prevailing image. This is especially gratifying when you factor in their dual roles. Lack of motivation, poor job opportunities, discrimination at the work place, and pressure of domestic duties do impede the overall development of women.”
Education for women has been on the front burner for years in the UAE. In early 2013, the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia appointed 30 women to the Saudi Shoura Council. The council has also approved a law that permits women to apply for real estate loans, a right previously reserved for men. Furthermore, most GCC countries have ratified the UN convention on the elimination of discrimination against women. These initiatives have all contributed to women holding command positions.
One of the conscious decisions women are making is to marry later and obtain a degree and pursue a career. As a result they are also becoming wealthier. As per a study, women in the Middle East controlled over a third of the wealth in the region. A total of 105 UHNW females held nearly $22 billion of the wealth in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Their wealth would grow further as would their acumen and skills if GCC governments and its populace maintained efforts to remove cultural constraints on women so that the region could unlock the potential of their highly educated but still relatively underutilized female talent.
Governments are taking women power more seriously. Saudi Arabia is developing a women-only industrial city at Hofuf for female workers in a bid to provide a working environment that complies with the Kingdom’s customs. The Hofuf development is expected to create about 5,000 jobs across industries such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and food processing, with women-run firms and production lines.
In places like Dubai and Doha, the female labor workforce has increased 3.7x and 3.1x respectively. The report indicates that these are not just support jobs but GCC women are now pursuing careers in the industry of their choice. According to the Dubai Statistics Center, business is the preferred field of study of 33% tertiary female students in the Emirate.
Dash adds, “Female enrolment in engineering has increased six-fold since 2011 in Dubai while law has shown a spike of 62% and one in every four startups is led by a woman”
According to the World Bank, the GCC’s literacy rate is 93%, on a par with or even higher than other developing countries across the world. The literacy rate was an estimated 87% a decade ago.
Within the GCC, literacy rates are high in countries such as Qatar (97%), Kuwait (96%), Bahrain (95%) and Saudi Arabia (94%). Oman, with a literacy rate of 87%, ranks the lowest among GCC countries.
Al-Masah’s conclusions indicate women are competitively positioned against their male colleagues on parameters such as working hours, training and development, recruitment and selection and benefits.
While the private sector accounts for 80% of the total women employment in the GCC, Arab women have made their presence felt in government, management, and family businesses.
It speaks for their capabilities that on the Forbes list of most powerful Arab women in the Middle East, the GCC constituted more than 50% in all major categories.
Dash lauds the forward thinking attitude of the governments and their enlightened approach to women and specialized education. “This is the key to the arrival of women on the scene,” he says, adding that it is because women have been empowered that the region is seeing a new dimension of talent across the board.”
Dash concludes by saying that as the trend continues and gathers more momentum, women will be seen at the helm in far more numbers in the coming years.

TOP ACHIEVERS

Although the list of highly successful women in the GCC is extensive there are some inspirational stories that can serve as a guide for young women in the region for which reason they are worth sharing.

* Rawya Saud Al-Busaidi (minister of higher education) is the first Omani woman to receive a ministerial portfolio. Rawya got this post in 2004. She is also the president of the council of Sultan Qaboos University.

* Raja Easa Al-Gurg is a renowned businesswoman in the Middle East. She is the managing director of Easa Saleh Al-Gurg Group LLC (ESAG) and a board member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has played a critical role in ESAG’s growth. Al-Gurg is a prominent speaker at various international conferences and round tables.

* Shaikha K. Al-Bahar heads the National Bank of Kuwait. She also serves on the board of the International Bank of Qatar and as director of Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC. Al-Bahar received her education at the Harvard Business School, Stanford University and Duke University.

* In 2003, Mariam Abdullah Al-Jaber was appointed the first district attorney in Qatar.

* In 2005, the Kuwaiti government amended its election laws to extend political rights to women.

* In May 2009, four women won seats in the Kuwaiti Parliament, marking a historic moment for Gulf women.

* In 2006, Bahrain appointed Mona Jassem Al-Kawari the first female judge at the Grand Civil Court.

* In 2008, UAE lawyer and Shariah specialist Kholoud Ahmad Al-Daheri was appointed primary judge at the Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department.

* In 2010, Saudi Arabia’s justice minister announced plans to allow female lawyers to represent women in matters related to divorce, child custody, and other family issues.