MENTORING 100 WOMEN IN THE MENA REGION TOGETHER WITH UAE-BASED NAMA

Women’s education in the Arab world has increased substantially in the last several decades, both in absolute terms and relative to men. Various GCC governments have rapidly improved female access to higher education to the extent that in many countries, female graduates now outnumber male graduates. Female talent and women’s capacity to support the local economies is abundant.

In 2018 the Athena MENA Mentoring Programme was launched in partnership with NAMA to support 100 women from the MENA region to become business and community leaders by 2020. Sharjah’s NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA) together with Global Thinkers Forum (GTF) embarked on a journey together to help women in the region develop new skills and expertise, and to enhance, enrich and expand their professional and personal prospects. The two organizations confirmed the launch of the programme at a signing ceremony held in London.

NAMA’s goal has been to partner with a globally recognised and connected organization to support women locally and in the wider MENA region and equip them with leadership skills which can help them chart their own future path.

Through the Athena MENA Mentoring Programme we develop the talents, abilities and business acumen of 100 women above the age of 22, who are based in the MENA region and providing them with support and networking opportunities, while give them a deeper insight into modern business practices.

The programme offers guidance, mentorship, and professional advice for mentees by deepening their understanding of international markets and helping them with confidence-building. Adopting scientific and practical strategies and clear action plans for the inclusion of women in local, regional and global economies, the programme encourages women to launch and set up their own enterprises, a forward-thinking scheme that leads to creating a generation of active women leaders.

The Global Thinkers Forum provides NAMA and the Athena MENA Programme with an elite group of highly-experienced mentors, many of whom are CEOs and directors of leading international companies and organisations, to present workshops and training sessions to mentees. Moving into its next stage in 2020 and 2021 the programme will introduce new initiatives and reinforce both the knowledge process but also access to global networks and opportunities.