• Home

Juggling masters

On March 8, the world community observed an important event – International Women’s Day – to recall the history of over a century of struggle for the emancipation of women.

A number of events were held around the world to commemorate the day that has its roots in 1908 when 1,500 women marched through the streets of New York demanding freedom, equality, better pay and right to vote. Today, the fruits of the struggle are not hidden, with some of the most powerful decision-makers worldwide are from the womenfolk.

On Tuesday, among several functions held to mark the day was one organised in the UAE capital by INSEAD, the Business School for the World, where some of the most successful women in the country took part.

Khaleej Times met four of these most talented and successful women who shared their experiences of achievements. Among them was Dalia Mohahed, founding director and senior analyst at Abu Dhabi Gallup Centre, the regional office of the Washington-based Gallup Centre. She also served as a senior adviser to US President Barack Obama. The others were Asma Ali Al Falasi, business planning and performance manager at Transco (Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company); Elaine Jones, CEO of Dubai-based Asteco Property Management; and Sangeeta Amin, managing director of Avantgarde Brand Services Arabia.

Here they share how they see womenfolk progressing and being recognised as one of the most important pillars of social and economical development of our societies:

What you think of women’s role in social and economic building of a society?

Dalia: The importance of women in the growth of societies is that when women have a sense of empowerment, a sense purpose and a sense of mission, the whole of society grows. This is emphasised in so many different cultures, specifically in the Islamic tradition which teaches that if you educate a woman, you educate a whole village.

Asma: I would say here in the UAE we are lucky to have good government support for women in the workforce. The government recognises that there is a big role for the ladies to play in both private sector companies and government establishments.

So far the support has been extensive and we have been seeing more and more Emirati women taking up major executive positions in private and public sector establishments and proving their talents. And it is happening elsewhere in the world as well, with great women decision-makers now playing their roles. My message is the support and the encouragement must continue.

Elaine: Most specifically in the Emirates, the world of opportunity is available for women. We have a leadership that actually plays a role to encourage women to move forward and take opportunities. So it is very positive.

Sangeeta: Now opportunities are open for women, and these opportunities are accessible. There are a lot of successful women in the market that is a big curia for me to know that there are lots of influential women that lots of people in the world do not believe.

Do you think women are empowered enough in today’s world?

Dalia: I think women, of course, need to grow on in their empowerment. And this is really a human problem that is something we struggle with around the world, and it is not specific to a particular culture. But the more we create just societies—societies where every human being can feel they can contribute fully—the more and more societies progress, because you will be tapping the talent of every single citizen, rather than just some.

Asma: We see tremendous support from the government and leadership recognising women’s role in all spheres of life in the country. We have recently been seeing KPI (key performance index) and measures distinguishing work performance between men and women to see how important ladies are at workplaces. That is s good sign and encouraging.

In the UAE, in the recent years, there has been a lot of progress towards women’s role in social and economical development. We see a lot of women CEOs and business executives and senior government officials. We have women cabinet members and we have women members of the parliament – the Federal National Council.

Elaine: Increasingly so! I believe that opportunities in education at school or university levels are enabling women to come into workforce. If we look at the Emiratisation planning, it is a mission to bring in women to workplaces. The social framework for women to be able to work, get married, have children and have families goes a long way in encouraging women. A plan is now in force and available to enable women and let them balance their career and family life.

The idea of both the wife and husband working and sharing domestic responsibilities as equal partners is working, and that is healthy – both partners being equal in domestic and financial responsibilities (charity begins at home).

Sangeeta: In general, I think we are getting there. There is tendency there, and I think it is also the women who have to be more encouraged. I think (as a woman), it is our chance to or our opportunity to motivate more women about taking these roles over.

I have seen a lot of very influential local women in the market (in UAE) in high positions and I’m deeply impressed. I have to say I have seen such woman more than I expected to see in the last six years since I have been here.

The woman who impressed you the most?

Dalia: I am inspired by so many different women. I think one woman in particular that I find very inspiring is Mukhtaran Mai of Pakistan. She is a woman who was brutalised in Pakistan but was willing to take her case to the court (rare in that society) at the encouragement of her local imam. And her courage came from her sense of faith and her sense of worth. And when she won her case, she donated all the money she was given as compensation to a school. I find her courage and sense of forgiveness and her faith very inspiring.

Asma: Actually it was my mother. My mother is the woman who inspired me the most in my life. In terms of giving me the inspiration that “we were the future of our people” with particular stress on education, she gave all her support for us to seek the highest available knowledge to help build our society. She is my role model.

Elaine: Probably Margret Thatcher (former prime minister of Britain), because she’s a grocer’s daughter who went on to become the first and only woman prime minister of Britain – the first woman prime minister in the world was from Sri Lanka, Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960. Thatcher was an incredible woman who demonstrated and proved that anybody can do anything if they had the right attitude.

Sangeeta: I have to say it is my mother. My mother was from a middle-class family from India and made her way and studied medicines in Germany in the 1950s, and became a very successful doctor. She was at the same level as my father (also a doctor) and opened her own clinic. She is my role model because she always had time for her three daughters.

• UAE