(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Women all over the world, not just the Middle East have not yet achieved their goals, and we must all work together to improve the role of women in both work and life.
"The UAE Government is supporting women, which is very important [for the country] as change is being initiated from the very top. This is helping women achieve a lot, and the next step is for women themselves - and their families - to support their peers and family," said Princess Ameerah Al Taweel, vice -chairwoman and secretary- general of Al Waleed Bin Talal Foundation, during a Press conference at the Women In Leadership Forum Middle East and Africa in Dubai
Donna Sultan, Azza El Shinnawy, Education and citizenship CDR lead; Faten Al Naqeeb, board memberand head of legal department ACICO and Kamal Hassan, founder, president and CEO Innovation 360; during the Woman in Leadership Forum at Dubai on Thursday. - KT photo by Shihab
Princess Ameerah also presented trophies to the five winners of the WIL Achievement Awards for leading businesswoman of the year: Donna Sultan, CEO of KEO International Consultants, Qatar; Most Innovative Entrepreneur of the Year: Dr Anna Zickerman-Quinn, Founder and Medical director of Up and Running Integrated Sports Medical Centre; Most Women-Friendly Employer: Pfizer; Male Champion of Change: Moritz P Hartmann, general manager, Roche Diagnostics Middle East and Leading Woman in Public Sector: Suhair Al Ali, Former Senator and Minister of Planning of Jordan. A highlight of this morning's second day was a panel discussion entitled: Champions of change - engaging men in diversity challenges.
During the hour-long debate, Moritz P Hartmann, general manager at Roche Diagnostics Middle East said: "The only way to innovate is through diversity and inclusion, which we firmly believe has a direct effect on profit. Diversity is a journey, not a conclusion, because it is something that has to become part of the organisation's culture. We diversify by age, nationality and gender. You create a diversified culture by getting out of your comfort zone, living diversity, and enjoying the continuing journey."
Endorsed by Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, UAE Minister of State, and organised by French business information group naseba, the comprehensive agenda is exploring a variety of relevant themes including Emiratisation, diversity and inclusion, youth development and sustainability.
Dubai Airports used the platform to reward ten of their employees with the Danaat Awards for outstanding accomplishments. Jill Nealon senior vice-president Human Resources & Development said: "The Women in Leadership conference was the ideal venue to launch Danaat, which aims to provide women colleagues in central positions with the skills, personal support and insights necessary for the transition to leadership."
