The World Economic Forum supports more women in business in the Middle East

Increasing female employment increases economic productivity, both within a particular firm and for the economy as a whole, which has been empirically proven time and time again. This is no different for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. According to the World Economic Forum, raising rates of female employment could add a staggering $2.7 trillion (AED 9.9 trillion) to the MENA economy. According to expert economists on the matter, this figure could be achieved as early as 2025, provided that local governments push the issue to the forefront of their agendas.

Worldwide, many countries have implemented gender quotas for powerful positions in order to increase female participation in the workforce. During panel discussions surrounding the subject, which took place at the World Economic Forum in Jordan in April 2019, expert economists said they believed cultural change, rather than gender targets, is the most effective way to support female participation in business.

Mariam Al-Foudery, head of global marketing and corporate social responsibility at Agility, a logistics company, said firms needed to promote the best staff regardless of gender. "We should be developing a culture without the need for a mandate,” she states. Read more about the discussions about female participation in the workforce here.