Friday 29 March 2024
 
»
 
»
Story

Bahrain to boost women’s online presence

Manama, September 4, 2013

Male users of social media outnumber females in Bahrain, despite efforts to empower the country's women, said an industry expert, adding that new moves are being planned to increase women's online presence.

Sixty per cent of the country's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram users are men while 40pc are women, Social Media Club president Ali Sabkar was quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

He revealed that a special Youth Forum had been lined up next month by the Supreme Council for Women (SCW).

"There is room for progress and the SCW forum aims to have a platform for youth to discuss social media and ways to empower women in this field," he said.

The Youth Forum is set to take place at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa on October 8.

The two-day event, organised by the SCW youth committee, will focus on women in social media and help them become opinion leaders.

Sabkar, whose organisation is providing strategic consultation for the forum, blamed local traditions for holding back women - even on the Internet.

"Employers seem to prefer men to fill social media management positions than women, as they want them to be available all the time," he said.

"Women usually do not prefer to be working all the time and such positions need candidates to be available around the clock either online or offline, which is against traditions. Some are also not into being exposed to mass media and do not have their identities out there."

SCW Youth committee and forum organising committee head Mazin Anwar said the upcoming event coincided with Bahraini Women's Day, which falls on December 1.

"This forum is the work of the SCW youth committee and looks to involve youth in women's issues as part of the committee's duties," he said.

"It looks to bring the issues of women from a youth perspective using a media platform mostly used by youth: Social media. It also comes in line with the theme of Bahraini Women's Day this year: Women and the Media."

The forum will cover social media and women from a social perspective, volunteering in social media and investment. Recommendations will be made to the SCW general secretariat. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | Online | Women | Social media | Youth forum |

More Media & Promotion Stories

calendarCalendar of Events

Ads