Abu Dhabi probably isn’t the first place you’d associate with a strong, influential group of females, but the capital’s International Business Women’s Group might change your mind. Counting CEOs, entrepreneurs and proprietors among their members, it’s still going strong more than 15 years since it launched.
The group includes women from across the world, and is run by a small committee of volunteers and a part-time coordinator. They hold a lunch on the first Tuesday of the month, and invite speakers to talk about subjects related to the capital’s development, topical issues and business-related matters. Some of the most popular speakers so far have included Bob Lipsett, MBA manager for the UAE University, who spoke about successful marketing, and journalist Kate Dourian, who talked about her experiences as a news reporter and editor in the Middle East. After the talk, everyone has the chance to network, share ideas and tips and develop new business contacts.
Nafisa Taha has been a board member since just a few months after the group was started. ‘The speakers motivate us and give us new ideas,’ she says. ‘The lunches are a forum where we can ask questions, and listen to others. People ask about everything, from how to make social media work for them, to marketing tips. Sometimes hearing someone else ask a certain question can be really inspiring.’
In her previous role, Nafisa found IBWG a great source of support for information and ideas. ‘Personally, I found the group most helpful when I started a private business some years ago,’ she says. ‘After chatting to other members of the group, I was given lots of new marketing ideas, and discovered which ones worked best for me.’
She says members get a lot of satisfaction from being able to help others and pass on their knowledge and expertise. ‘At the lunches, you’ll meet like-minded, powerful women who will motivate you, and you will get the opportunity to see if you can help others.’
Some might term the Middle East a challenging place for women to work. A survey carried out last August by YouGov Siraj for the Nabd al Arab (Arabs’ Pulse) programme aired on Al Aan TV, showed attitudes in the UAE still had a long way to go when it came to women in the workplace. The survey took a sample of 141 UAE residents, 58 per cent of whom said they thought men could do a better job in terms of leadership (only three per cent said women were better). Almost half those interviewed said men were also better at strategising and decision-making. Roughly a quarter of women said their husbands would not allow them to take a job.
However, Nafisa says among the IBWG, which is largely made up of expatriate women, the picture is rosier than the stats would suggest, and many do not find themselves discriminated against at all. ‘Women in the UAE are very fortunate compared with those in some places in the world,’ she says. Nafisa herself is the operations manager at a major utilities distribution company. ‘My word is heard, I am listened to and have an impact in the workplace, and no one would dare discriminate again me! There is plenty of transparency about procedures, which helps.’
She’s also confident that in terms of equality in the workplace Abu Dhabi is definitely heading in the right direction, saying that the workplace was very different when IBWG launched. ‘At first, no one really knew where to place us in the workforce,’ She explains. ‘But things have changed a lot since then. After all, we bring balance, softness and compassion to the table. Women have plenty of skills that men don’t have. We’re mothers, we’re half of the population, half of everything!’
For more information about IBWG events and membership, contact Joanne Wise on 050 327 6020, or visit www.ibwgabudhabi.org.
