Why are more educated Arab women not working?
Advancing the role of women in society and the economy is a key driver for change in any country or region, particularly the Middle East.
According to a 2020 study by management consulting firm McKinsey and Co., “increased female participation in professional and technical jobs can turbo-charge economic growth in a region that will be significantly impacted by the Fourth Industrial Revolution — making their participation all the more critical.”
McKinsey emphasized four indicators correlated with this female workplace paticipation: Education, financial and digital inclusion, and legal protection.
the Middle East, high inequalities in these metrics persisted, most notably in legal protection and financial inclusion — with a significant number of women remaining unbanked.
On a more positive note, McKinsey predicted that the share of women in professional and technical jobs was set to more than double by 2030. Crucial, then, is the need to capture this opportunity to bring the Middle East’s women into parity with their peers around the world.
A panel of experts at the Arab Women Forum, held in Dubai on Tuesday, examined what the workplace of tomorrow may look like for women, and asked how companies could attract and retain female talent.
Speakers included Christine Harb, vice president of marketing at Visa Inc.; Dr. Celeste Cecilia Moles Lo Turco, director for PwC Middle East in the environmental, social, and corporate governance, and sustainability fields; Khaled Al-Maeena, chairman of Al-Bilad Media and Publishing and managing partner of Quartz Communications; and Dr. Maliha Hashmi, World Economic Forum Global Future Council expert.
Harb said there were two main challenges facing women in the workplace today. “One is female representation in C-level positions. If we look at the MENA region, we still have a low representation of women in boardrooms and C-level positions,” she told Arab News.
More women occupy C-level roles now than at any time in the past 10 years — but to address their persistent underrepreFor sentation at all levels, workplaces must provide flexibility and versatility for women, and they must be seen in top-level roles, Harb added.
“How can women make sure they are sponsored and supported? Companies in the region also need to promote them to (C-suite) roles,” she said.
The second challenge, Harb noted, was the alignment of what organizations say and how they act toward their female employees.
“Many companies today are saying the right things, but there is no psychological safety, as such, for women to feel they can benefit from the flexible working hours or from the conditions that are being put in place that will allow them to find their balance as women,” she added.