Boursa Kuwait has joined over 100 exchanges from around the world to ring the bell in commemoration of International Women’s Day, marking the seventh consecutive year that the exchange participates in the global “Ring the Bell for Women’s Empowerment” initiative. 

 

Led by UN Women in partnership with the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), the initiative underscores the crucial role stock exchanges can play in achieving gender equality and fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

 

Boursa Kuwait is the first stock exchange in the Gulf to join this initiative and also holds the distinction of being the second stock exchange in the region to ring the bell for gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

 

This year’s ceremony is held under the theme of “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, and emphasizes the amplification of women’s voices and contributions, paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future.

 

It also aims to raise awareness about the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a set of seven principles for businesses to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community. 

 

Boursa Kuwait has been a proud signatory of the WEPs since 2019, highlighting the company’s steadfast commitment to promoting inclusion in the workplace. 

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Dalal Jafaar Behbehani, the first female Board member in the company’s history, said: "This International Women’s Day, Boursa Kuwait joins over 100 global exchanges to proudly ring the bell for women’s empowerment. The company understands the importance of investing in the professional development of women and stands firm in its belief that equity goes beyond equality, as it recognizes that we all have different circumstances and are allocated different resources to reach equal outcomes – ones that are diverse, inclusive and sustainable."

 

"I am both grateful for my female colleagues and proud of their accomplishments at the exchange in particular and in the Kuwaiti financial scene in general, and I am pleased to celebrate them and all women for what they bring to the table, contributing to a more comprehensive decision-making process for a more sustainable tomorrow," stated Behbehani. 

 

"At Boursa Kuwait, we wholeheartedly believe in the precept that investing in women is investing in the future," she added.

 

The bell-ringing initiative is part of a series of events that the Kuwaiti exchange has organized to raise awareness of the important issue of women’s empowerment. 

 

Boursa Kuwait recently helped organise the European Union’s initiative for women’s economic empowerment, hosting a fireside chat by Hedwige Nuyens, the Chair of the European Women on Boards, which was attended by Anne Koistinen, the European Union’s Ambassador in Kuwait as well as representatives from various listed companies.

 

Throughout the year, the exchange will host a series of events and discussions aimed at raising awareness and fostering progress toward gender equality within the region, a devotion that reflects the exchange’s steadfast stance as a staunch supporter of women’s empowerment, which is evident through its pledge to foster an inclusive environment.-TradeArabia News Service