Women empowerment is not social luxury; it is economic necessity: Aisha Alfardan
Women empowerment is not a social luxury rather it is an economic necessity, according to Aisha Hussein Alfardan, vice chairwoman of Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA).Addressing She Boss Global Retreat Doha, themed "From Heritage to Global Markets: Women Driving Power and Big Decisions", she said personal success is incomplete unless it opened doors for other, especially for women stepping into leadership and decision-making spaces.Growing up in a family deeply connected to the legacy of Alfardan Group, a business heritage built over generations; Aisha Alfardan said what she inherited was not simply a commercial story; it was a school of values, disciplines, excellence, responsibility and respect for community."I came to understand that true heritage is not measures by what we inherit but by what we build on top of it," she told the event, which saw the presence of Mohamed Nurudeen, Ambassador of Ghana to Qatar."In Qatar today, we see a living example of this transformation. Qatari women are not merely present in the economy, they are contributing to lead it.., shaping strategic decisions, managing institutions and influencing markets that extend far beyond national borders," Aisha Alfardan said.Stressing that it did not happen by accident; she said "it is the result of a national vision that understood early on that empowering women is not a social luxury, it is an economic necessity."Institutions such as the QBWA have played a vital role in translating this vision into reality, she said, adding by building professional networks, opening dialogue platforms and strengthening international collaborations, QBWA has become a space where experiences meet ambition and tradition meets innovation.Reasoning why women are increasingly shaping global markets, Aisha Alfardan said it was because women do not lead through dominance, rather build through trust; they do not impose decisions, rather create consensus; and do not pursue individual victory, rather cultivate collective success.Asserting that today's world does not simply need strong leaders; she said it "needs leaders who understand people, communities and who recognise that every economic decision is, at its core, a human decision.""At the QBWA, we believe the greatest achievement of leadership is not what you accomplish for yourself, but what you leave behind for others. We are not building short paths. We are building long roads for future generations to walk," she said.From heritage to global markets, she said, women do not abandon their past, they carry it as strength. "They do not dissolve in globalisation, they redefine it," she added."The conversation about women’s' role in the economy is no longer local, it has become a global dialogue that unites us across borders," according to her.The She Boss Global Retreat Doha brought together global C-suite executives, top business leaders, investors, and decision-makers for powerful conversations and strategic connections.