E-Paper
Sign In
Women leadership key to Gulf's future economy, says Emirati cultural leader
Sheikha Wafa leader says education, innovation and institutional reforms are key to unlocking the full potential of women across the Arab world
- PUBLISHED: Tue 16 Jun 2026, 1:58 PM
Women across the UAE and the wider Arab world are playing a greater role than ever before in shaping economies, leading businesses, and driving innovation. However, continued investment in education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development will be crucial to unlocking their full potential, according to Sheikha Wafa bint Humaid Al Mualla, a prominent Emirati cultural leader, philanthropist, and public figure.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Sheikha Wafa reflected on women's growing role in the digital economy, following the 'Women’s Gateway to the Digital Economy' Conference in Dubai, which brought together leaders and experts to explore innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
Recommended For You
She said women are becoming increasingly central to the Gulf’s economic transformation, but stressed that structural barriers must still be addressed to ensure equal access to opportunity and leadership.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“While progress has been significant, structural barriers still limit women's full economic participation across the Arab world,” she said. “Governments must move beyond symbolic representation and embed gender equity into national policy frameworks, labour laws, and institutional incentive structures.”
Sheikha Wafa emphasized that empowering women is not only a social priority but an economic necessity, noting that investment in girls’ education continues to deliver strong long-term returns for national development. She also highlighted the importance of mentorship networks and female-led investment ecosystems in supporting women’s advancement.
“Empowerment is not a gift to be granted,” she said. “It must be institutionalized through accountability mechanisms that measure and report gender outcomes at the national level.”
Looking ahead, she identified technology and the digital economy as key sectors offering the strongest opportunities for women across the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
“The technology and digital economy sector presents the most scalable opportunities given its low physical and geographic barriers to entry,” she said.
She also pointed to healthcare, life sciences, education, financial technology, and sustainability as priority sectors where women can take on stronger leadership roles. Renewable energy, she added, presents a particularly important frontier for early female representation in line with national climate and development strategies.
Education and innovation, she said, remain the foundation for long-term empowerment. She called for stronger focus on critical thinking, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship within education systems, alongside more inclusive access to incubators, accelerators, and funding platforms.
“Education and innovation are most powerful when they reinforce each other, creating an ecosystem where a young Arab woman can move fluidly from learning to building to leading,” she said.
Sheikha Wafa also addressed the challenges women entrepreneurs face in accessing finance, highlighting the need for alternative funding models, including crowdfunding, Islamic microfinance, and government-backed grants to support female-led enterprises.
When asked about balancing ambition, family life, and leadership, she challenged traditional narratives that pressure women to choose between personal and professional success.
“The framing of ‘balance’ itself deserves scrutiny,” she said, noting that structural support systems are more important than individual sacrifice.
She stressed that Emirati women benefit from a national framework that increasingly supports both family life and career advancement, encouraging young women to pursue leadership roles without compromising personal aspirations.
“Ambition and family are not competing values but complementary expressions of a full and purposeful life,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of building strong support systems, including family networks, childcare infrastructure, and workplace flexibility, which she described as essential components of sustainable leadership.
Reflecting on the UAE’s progress, Sheikha Wafa said the country’s success in women’s empowerment stems from embedding gender equality within national development strategies rather than treating it as a separate agenda.
“The UAE’s approach to women’s empowerment is distinctive in that it has been embedded within the architecture of national development strategy rather than treated as a parallel social agenda,” she said.
She pointed to the UAE Gender Balance Council, female representation in leadership positions, and strong performance on global gender indicators as evidence of a coordinated, long-term policy approach.
She added that the UAE has demonstrated that cultural and religious values can coexist with women’s advancement, offering a model for the wider region.
As the Gulf continues to evolve economically and technologically, Sheikha Wafa said women will play a decisive role in shaping its future.
“The future of the Gulf economy depends on women’s leadership,” she said, adding that sustained investment in women’s capabilities will be critical to ensuring long-term competitiveness, innovation, and prosperity across the region.
Arwa Almazrouei is an Arabic editor passionate about storytelling and journalism, and creating impactful content that highlights culture, society, and the inspirational.