Though cultural challenges remain as barriers for Arab women, they are gradually marching ahead and becoming more visible in the business sphere, where leadership has traditionally been male-dominated.
Last December, Ms Inga Beale was appointed CEO of Lloyd’s – becoming the first female to assume the role in the market’s 326-year history. The appointment was heralded as a landmark and a catalyst for change, particularly in the area of gender diversity in the insurance industry.
Women tend to be under-represented in the C-Suite positions, including those in the insurance industry. Although this is a worldwide phenomenon, it is particularly striking in the Middle East region where leadership has traditionally been perceived in male terms. As a result, Arab women in the region continue to be under-represented in decision-making positions in many fields.
Smart economics
Various reports suggest that increased female labour participation and growth can have a positive impact on economic development and company performance. For instance, the World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development states that “gender equality is smart economics”, and providing women and men with equal access to education, economic opportunities and assets has the potential to boost productivity.
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report states that in Egypt, if the number of female workers were raised to the same level as that of men, the country’s GDP could grow by 34%. In the UAE, GDP would expand by 12%, in Japan by 9%, and in the US by 5%. Another report by Booz & Company said the entrance of more women into the GCC’s economy will serve as an economic multiplier, and that companies adopting strategies to better integrate women will gain long-term competitive edges.
Thus, the tide is changing, with both public and private sectors in the region making efforts to boost the role of women. “Public policies advocating women economic and social empowerment have led to (the mainstream of) a gender-balanced representation in leadership positions in the civil service and private sector,” said Mrs Rana Tahboub, Director General of the Insurance Commission of Jordan.
She added: “Women’s quest of leadership positions needs to be further enhanced, and collective efforts should be consolidated to achieve the common professional goal. This is possible through women empowerment programmes that aim to educate them about the prospects available and providing them with the necessary skills.”
The gender barrier
While it has become increasingly evident that Arab women are playing a larger role in the business world, they continue to face significant barriers in realising their full economic potential. Notably, the gap between the rights of men and those of women has been most clear in this region’s society.
According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Global Gender Gap Report 2013, MENA is the only region which did not improve its overall standing in 2013. The highest-placed country in the region is the UAE (109th out of 136 nations), which has achieved parity in education. Nevertheless, most countries in the region, including Bahrain (112th), Qatar (115th), Kuwait (116th), Jordan (119th) and others are still failing to adequately capitalise on the investments in education through greater economic and political contributions from women.
Commenting on the main professional challenges faced by Arab women, Mrs Lamia Ben Mahmoud, Chairman & CEO of Tunis Re, said: “In a socio-economic environment dominated by men, the major difficulty for a woman is in asserting herself and taking up the challenges in the face of anti-feminist prejudices and the discriminatory practices aiming to preclude any feminine competence. And as a woman from an oriental society, I did not escape, certainly, from this kind of obstacle throughout my professional career.”
Her persistence, however, has seen her through the difficulties. “One should have confidence in herself and know how to impose upon others,” she added.
Mrs Tahboub said: “The challenges I experienced are similar to those men encounter. However, the intensive competition among men for leadership positions complicates the challenge. Women in senior positions are generally closely observed and their performance is compared to that of men.”
To overcome this challenge, she educated herself to improve in different ways and learnt from the success stories of other women in the Arab World, she added.
Changing mindsets
Another barrier facing Arab women is the cultural perception that women are less capable, more irrational, and better suited for domestic responsibilities. Such entrenched thinking, together with conservative interpretations of Islamic law, tend to relegate women to subordinate status and hamper their upward mobility.
Women have to change the mindset that they are not ready and capable to reach the top, said Ms Ashley M Hunter, President of US-headquartered brokerage HM Risk Group. “We must create networks of women in executive positions and identify high-performing women and mentor and groom them for future executive positions in the finance and insurance industries.”
She added: “As women, we need to demand more from the companies that we represent and should become more vocal with regard to our needs and wants in the business world. We should also seek men who are in executive positions and who appreciate the need for executive advancement within the financial and insurance industries, and simply ask for their help in executive-level growth. As women, if we don’t ask, it is hard to move up when no one knows who you are!”
Mrs Tahboub opined that mindsets about women’s professional performances can be changed “through educating girls about leadership characteristics and their role in developing their societies, starting from primary levels in schools”, as well as highlighting “women’s success in all sectors”.
Parents are also very important, she said, “as they play a fundamental role in encouraging their girls to seek leadership positions. Successful women should (also) continuously exhibit their capability of success in handling and balancing different tasks”.
Striking a balance
The ability to achieve a successful work-life balance is an essential factor for women to succeed in the professional sphere. In fact, achieving optimal work-life balance remains one of the greatest challenges for women.
“Many women in the industry lack a balance with work and personal life; we are trying to prove ourselves to our colleagues and the industry as a whole and we forget that there is a life out there that we should be living!” Ms Hunter said. “We have to make sure that as women that we strike a balance between being an amazing executive and just being a friend, sister, daughter, and wife or partner.”
“Although it is difficult to make this balance, with the help and the understanding of the family, I can still manage to reconcile work and family obligations,” said Mrs Ben Mahmoud.
On how she has managed to strike the balance, Mrs Tahboub said: “I set my priorities according to significance and urgency, and make use of my organisational and planning skills to optimise my efforts and time.
“At home, as in work, I delegate responsibilities. Members of my family share with me household responsibilities, and their cooperation and understanding reduce the stress and assist me in maintaining the balance between work and my duties toward them.”
A growing force
In spite of the challenges, there are signs of progress on multiple fronts in boosting Arab women’s participation in the workforce. A growing number of women, including:
• Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE’s Minister of Development and International Cooperation;
• Ms Reem Al Hashimy, UAE’s Minister of State and Managing Director of the Dubai World Expo 2020 Bid Committee;
• Sheikha Maha Mansour Salman Jasim Al Thani, Qatar’s first female judge;
• Ms Lubna Olayan, Deputy Chairperson and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Olayan Financing Company; and
• Ms Zaha Hadid, Iraq-born architect,
are taking on higher-level posts and greater responsibilities.
Today, women in the region are ready to face the challenges of leadership, but they will not be able to deliver their full potential unless more serious efforts are made by governments and employers to help them overcome the constraints. These changes will not come overnight, but for now, women may be able draw inspiration from individuals like Ms Beale.