A top Emirati minister called for greater inclusion of women in key sectors of the economy, as he inaugurated the 16th edition of the Women Leadership Economic Forum (WIL) in Dubai recently.

Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, said greater advancements could be made in the area of public and private sector partnership through ‘the measurement and public reportage of progress achieved in gender equality within organisations.’

“The UAE as a nation has registered significant milestones in women empowerment. I am very proud to share that the UAE has been ranked number one in the world for respecting women according to a report launched by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council,” he said.

“We are also ranked first among Arab countries in enabling women in leadership and in parliament according to the Women Studies Center at the Arab Women Establishment in Paris.”

Emphasising the importance of supporting the economic empowerment of women, Cherie Blair, founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, said: “Women’s economic empowerment is not an option, it is imperative to make societies succeed. Women here are recognising the benefit of becoming an entrepreneur and there are an ever-increasing number of success stories of women who run their own businesses in the UAE. From my experience, it shows that if you give women the right tools, they will absolutely finish the job.”

Speaking on the theme of the current session, Sophie Le Ray, founder of WIL and CEO of naseba, organisers of the event, said: “At this year’s WIL conference, the focus is on knocking down stereotypes and debating the real-life issues women face as they climb the professional ladder. We hope WIL acts as a springboard for new ideas and helps bring about a paradigm shift in conversations regarding gender parity.”

The event witnessed thought sessions, panel discussions and workshops focusing on the impact that the integration of women can have on the future of economies, from a womenomics perspective.

A key participant in WIL, Wendy Alexander, associate dean, Global Business, London Business School, said: “Businesses today operate in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous – sometimes called a VUCA environment. Women are ideally suited to lead in such an environment. Their lives teach them to juggle diverse roles, they are typically adept at managing complexity, coping with ambiguity and bringing clarity to situations characterised by uncertainty.”

Moritz Hartmann, general manager, Roche Diagnostics Middle East, said: “It is only until male leaders experience the power of diversity that they will realise the value of developing their female peers alongside them. I know the value and immeasurable input that is brought to the table when there is a healthy balance between male and female leaders.

“It is the responsibility of the decision-makers in an organisation, who majority-wise are still men, to cultivate this work environment of inclusion and adopt gender diversity as a basic component of their business model.”

The second theme of the day tackled the issue of entrepreneurship, innovation and women as the engines of economic growth and sustainable development, while the final session of the day focused on the role of women as both investors and investees.

The inaugural day concluded with an award ceremony that recognised business leaders and organisations for their outstanding contributions to economic development through their focus on women in leadership.

The forum, which has convened thought leaders from around the world to discuss issues relevant to women’s empowerment in today’s dynamic business landscape, placed special focus on addressing ‘womenomics’ or the need to redesign economies to ensure greater inclusiveness of women in societies.

The forum’s series of initiatives has been actively promoting economic empowerment of women as well as diversity and inclusion in the workplace since its launch in 1999. - TradeArabia News Service