Rabiha Diab, Minister of Women’s Affairs in the State of Palestine, presenting an award to AIWF chairwoman Haifa al-Kaylani at Birzeit University in May 2013.

By Denise Marray/Gulf Times Correspondent/London


The founder and chairwoman of the Arab International Women’s Forum (AIWF), Haifa Fahoum al-Kaylani, has called for “gender neutral business and property laws to be enacted” in order to create a level playing field for women to engage in business across the Mena region. In an interview with Gulf Times, she outlined the key issues which need to be addressed to enable women to participate to their full potential in the workforce.
These include addressing inadequate policy environments and legal structures related to entrepreneurship in the region; providing access to finance for entrepreneurs; giving equal pay for equal work; ensuring that laws governing women’s rights to maternity leave and pay are followed; providing flexible working terms that allow women to meet both work and family obligations and, last but not least, breaking down cultural resistance to women working.
Al-Kaylani makes her observations as a person with extensive, first-hand experience of the region. In her capacity as AIWF chairwoman, and as a board member of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce in London, she understands the issues and constraints from the perspective of policy makers and the women striving to participate in their respective economies. That could be a woman with no formal education trying to make a living on a market stall, to a high flying professional striving to make her way in a workplace where prejudice can still put a halt on talent. Both want the same thing — to be given a fair chance of achieving their goals.
She emphasised the critical role of the leadership within the respective countries in creating a positive environment to enable women to participate in the economy. She cited Qatar as setting a strong example in this respect.
“I think the environment for women in Qatar is very progressive and amongst the most progressive in the region. I hear from our AIWF members and women leaders in Doha how empowered they are by their government and by the leadership, and how much has been invested in them in terms of their education. They have some of the best universities in the region. Qatar is also investing in promoting its women into public office and into organisations such as Chambers of Commerce. Women, furthermore, are encouraged to participate in business delegations and to start up their own businesses. The focus is on building an economy of entrepreneurship and diversification.”
She noted: “The percentage of women in the workforce in Qatar is the highest in the region — it has reached 51%, and the UAE is 47%. These statistics represent significant progress within a short timeframe. HH Sheikha Moza has been a tremendous role model for women in Qatar, the Arab region and globally through the many valuable initiatives she has established to support and enhance the human capital in Qatar. Certainly, the leadership in Qatar, at the highest levels, is fully supportive of the empowerment of Qatari women in both the public and private sectors and the professions.”
Al-Kaylani was asked for her assessment how women in Palestine are faring, given all the pressures and obstacles they have to contend with.
She responded: “Having chaired our first AIWF Conference in Palestine at Birzeit University in May 2013 on Young Palestinian Women Leaders, I was impressed by the dynamism and optimism of the Palestinian women attending the conference, despite the difficult situation. The situation for women in Gaza is even harder: they need to be supported and encouraged through skills building programmes and education and job opportunities.
 “We need to help them access investment funds from the GCC, Arab regions and the EU to help them set up their businesses. We should also help to open markets for them so if they have some produce we need to help them access markets in the Arab region and the EU.
“Open markets for them, help them expand their horizons, enhance their incomes and make it possible for them to contribute to their local economies and help their families.
“We need to ensure that the jobs are there; in Palestine, the private sector is very important, but opportunities for its young people are of course inhibited by the difficult political situation.”
Looking at the wider Gulf region, and the pressures now being felt due to the fall in oil prices, al-Kaylani commented that now, more than ever, women are needed to help create dynamic, diverse economies.
“I think the oil price crash reminds the oil producing countries in the region even more forcibly about the need for diversification in the economy. Clearly this is necessary to build sustainable economic growth for their populations.
“Who is going to create the new businesses and industries other than the young educated men and women in whom these countries have made such huge investments? They have the innovative ideas; these are not limited to the oil and energy sectors but to a wide range of business activities and enterprises.”
In the coming year, AIWF will have a new focus on key health issues that are important for all in the Arab region. Law will also feature large, with AIWF collaborating with the International Bar Association on a conference in Jordan on ‘Arab Women in the Law’. Always at the heart of the work are initiatives to facilitate job creation, education, leadership training, capacity building and development for women throughout the Arab region through an Arab International framework.
There will be a continuing development of the mentoring programme with the support of senior businesswomen in leading international companies. Opportunities for women to attend high level leadership programmes such as the Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance in Hamburg, Germany, will also be supported.
In March, AIWF will attend the International New York Times ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference in Doha which will be opened by Her Excellency Sheikha al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute and Reach Out to Asia.