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Helping Arab Women to lead:
Initial findings from the Muthabara
Foundation 2007 Research Project
Dr Serra Kirdar-Meliti, Director
Slide 1
Agenda
• Background
• The Muthabara Foundation
• Importance of helping Arab Women to lead
• Research Findings
• Recommendations
• Questions and Comments
Slide 2
Background
• The context and status of women’s empowerment varies across the Arab
world
• Need to preserve identity and community whilst taking rightful place in the
global economy
• Highly successful women from many regions can be seen as exemplars
• Change is now coming from women themselves
• Islam promotes equality of women – highly radical in its inception
• Not ‘Western’ feminism but a local feminism negotiated by Arab women
• Similar ‘glass ceiling’ for Western women. Managerial positions filled by
women: Germany 25%, UK 33%. Senior positions: US 10%, Germany 5% 1
• Exemplars merge womanhood and professional success, Islam and modernity
• Hence – the Muthabara Foundation
[1] Gardiner, M. & Tiggemann, M. Gender Differences in Leadership
Style, Job Stress and Mental Health in Male and Female Dominated
Industries, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Studies,
1999, Vol. 72, Issue 3, British Psychology Society, p.1
Slide 3
The Muthabara Foundation:
Making a difference
• MISSION
Maximise the potential of young Arab women
to create intellectual capital, through improved
education, mentoring/role models and
publicising success.
Slide 4
The Muthabara Foundation:
Making a difference
• OBJECTIVES - initial focus on UAE as leading exemplar:
GUIDE ADVISE DEVELOP ENHANCE
Slide 5
The Muthabara Foundation:
Making a difference
GUIDE
Guide and support Arab women to maximise their potential
ADVISE
Advise educational establishments on how to best meet the
requirements of employers
Advise National and international organisations on
effective recruitment and development of Arab women.
Slide 6
The Muthabara Foundation:
Making a difference
DEVELOP
Develop projects that produce educational, economic and
social benefits above the benefit of the individual – systemic
change
Develop relationships and alliances with public/ private sectors
to enhance expansion of projects
ENHANCE
Enhancing, through research, government policy and
programmes for women and nationalization in general.
Slide 7
Helping Arab women to lead:
Complexities of many related issues
PLUS
General human
Issues relating specifically to resource issues:
UAE women: Cultural norms and * Developing global talent
values, family pressure, women’ s * Managing diversity
role in Arab society, ‘Islam, women * Localising management
and work’ style
* Global HR policies
Issues relating to Issues relating to
women at work (male Nationalisation:
attitudes, child care, Education levels,
segregation vs integration motivating the wealthy,
etc) moving from public sector
etc
Slide 8
Helping UAE Women to lead:
Why does it matter?
• UAE strategy (highly successful to date) requires
– increasing diversification away from oil and gas,
– increase in private sector employment for nationals (and reduction in public sector)
– and increasing productivity of workforce through less reliance on cheap immigrant
labour. More Nationals justifying higher wages.
• UAE national population ~20% of total, ~10% of working population.
• Therefore, in order to control the economy, a high proportion of nationals need to lead,
especially in ‘core’ and strategic sectors such as tourism and IT.
• UAE women are a key resource, currently under-utilised, especially in the private sector.
• Every UAE National, male or female, with the potential to lead must be helped to realise
that potential.
• Currently ~7% of Emirati women are in leadership roles
• This is comparable to Europe/US) – so what is the issue?
As quoted in Dubai Strategic Plan 3rd Feb 2007
Slide 9
Profile of a hypothetical country’s
management population
0.1%
Directors
Middle mgmt
leaders 1%
Supervisory leaders 10%
88.9%
Non-leaders
Slide 10
If UAE nationals form 20% (~1m) of the working
population (~5m) with a ‘normal’ proportion of leaders
Then 80% of strategic leaders
0.1%
would be expatriate/immigrants. Directors
.. and 80% of Middle mgmt
middle Managers leaders 1%
.. and 80% of
Supervisors Supervisory leaders 10%
Leaving c90% of UAE nationals in ‘non-leading’
roles, mostly led by expatriate/immigrants 88.9%
Non-leaders
Slide 11
If we want all strategic leaders to be nationals, half
of all middle managers and half of supervisors, then
Then all of strategic leaders
5000 = 0.5% of UAE population
(5000) would be Nationals Directors
.. and 50% (25,000) Middle mgmt
of middle Managers leaders 25,000 = 2.5%
.. and 50% (250,000)
of Supervisors Supervisory leaders 250,000 = 25%
Leaving only 72% (720,000) of UAE Nationals in
‘non-leading’ roles, but mostly led by Nationals
Non-leaders
Slide 12
UAE women – a potential asset that
cannot be ignored
• We need 5% (~5000) of our population to achieve strategic leadership roles
• We need 2.5% (~25,000 people) to achieve middle management leadership
roles
• We need 25% (~250,000 people) to achieve supervisory leadership roles.
• ~ 40% of our Nationals are women ~400,000 people of whom only ~50,000
are currently in the labour force.
• An underutilised 350,000 people, of whom many would no doubt be capable
of achieving leadership roles.
• A resource that cannot be ignored.
Slide 13
Also…
• Women in leadership roles are a critical component of true empowerment.
• Highly educated and capable women will be an asset in any role, including
family life.
• Working women contribute to the economic and social success of the country.
• Women can have a significant leadership role in economic and political
spheres – representing a large proportion of the population.
• The UAE’s strategy focuses on building a knowledge/service economy – which
benefits from multiple perspectives including those of women.
Slide 14
Helping UAE women to lead:
First research project
• Objectives:
– Identify the requirements of major employers in the UAE (local and foreign) in order to increase
the employment of women into professional and managerial roles.
– Identify any gaps between these requirements and the provision of education for UAE women in
the UAE.
– Identify any overlapping or related initiatives to ensure that the Foundation complements and
facilitates any existing work in this area.
– Provide a business case for the foundation including costs and potential benefits.
• Method
– Literature and meta-review
– Qualitative Research
– PART 1 The Employers’ perspective
• Interview range of facilitating organisations
• Interview range of employers
• Interview range of educational institutions
– PART 2: The womens’ perspective (underway)
• Interview Arab Women (Students)
• Interview Arab Women (mature, employed in public and private sector)
• Focus Groups to debate issues
• Attend relevant workshops (Tawan and Middle East Centre Oxford)
Slide 15
Support for employment for women
(positive comments in blue, negative in red – from organisations)
Public Sector still
more attractive
How will support Some than private
change in the professions
future
Positive still restricted
Neutral Varies in the
Negative Early education different Emirates
Current support
needs to include
for employment
of women world of work
Nationalisation quotas
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% generate resistance
amongst Expats against
employing Emiratis
Government support has been very Women seen in important roles
strong - and crucial, along with Government and commerce Women entering new
cultural change and perceptions professions e.g.
Many initiatives to help engineering, IT
about women in employment Emiratis in general and
women in particular Rapid increase in higher
Ratio of females to education for women
males is increasing Nationalisation quotas
Skills shortages will have forced organisations
force companies to to employ and develop
develop women Nationals
Slide 16
What helps employers employ and develop
Arab Women for leadership roles?
(company perspectives)
Family-oriented Respectful of
with good sense hierarchy
of work-life (non-
Respectful of balance Education levels assertive)
hierarchy 14%
(polite)
Top management Family-oriented
support with good sense
32% of work-life
Well educated
balance
Good English (uncommitted)
Factors about Arab
More enthusiastic women themselves
and committed
25%
Higher emotional
intelligence
Government initiatives
Try harder and 29%
diligent
Slide 17
What hinders you in employing and
developing Arab women? (perceptions)
Family responsibilities Education doesn’t prepare
can conflict with high- Lack of skills for world of work
pressure roles 4%
Some professions Prefer hierarchic
Policy issues
seen as unsuitable management style
4%
(e.g. personal Society and cultural
services, issues Management style Not challenging
hospitality, non- 28% differences enough for modern
Islamic banking) 13% consensual mgmt
Relatives may style
exercise control over
career choices Public sector pays
Women may find it
difficult to work Government high salaries for
internationally 13% little effort so
creates unrealistic
Require specific working expectations
conditions (flexible hours, no
mixing with single men)
Perceptions ofArab May only want to
Local men, and women, Aspirations work for a few years,
sometimes find it difficult to women 17% then focus on family
accept women as leaders. May 21%
accept foreign woman more Perhaps not assertive enough for
easily! (as honorary man) demanding management role
Specific initiatives to ‘get the best’’ from
Arab women and fulfil their potential?
• All the organisations stressed they are ‘gender neutral’
• All had equal opportunities and diversity policies
• Many had excellent programmes to recruit and develop Emirates Nationals – male and
female.
• Many had well-developed talent development initiatives
• No specific development for women
• Most specifically recruited Nationals, none specifically recruited females
• Few had mentoring programmes - not focused on women
• All see massive growth in the region with increasing demand for good Nationals
• Some (international companies) had global ‘female-friendly’ offerings (creche, maternity
leave, flexi-time etc). Few had specific facilities for women (e.g. segregated office)
• Most global organisations stressed that HR policies and practices were standard across
the business. Very little local tailoring
• Only one had a specific initiative relating to National women – allowing a male relative
to accompany a woman on overseas assignment.
Slide 19
Areas of potential focus for Muthabara
• Guidance for employing organisations: How to get the best from Arab women
employees
– Mentoring (e.g. Jumeirah, Barclays)
– Working conditions – e.g. manage 1-1 meetings, prayer rooms, separate
relaxation area?
– Adapt management style to suit – Politeness, respect for authority, concern for
family, work-life balance
– Misunderstanding personal characteristics - Assertiveness, subservience,
reserved, ‘shy’
– Ambition and goals (tend to be family/society oriented rather than
power/money) should be respected and seen as positive advantage
– Global experience – Overseas travel could be eased by accompanying relative
(e.g. HSBC)
– Innovative working conditions (flexible hours, tele-working etc)
– Involve family (e.g. Jumeirah, Etisalat)
Slide 20
Potential focus (2)
• Education – attitudes of women to work
– Teach ‘world of work’ at school to help with attitudes of young women
– Teach English as young as possible
– Explore model of career then family break then return to work
– Explore large company career, then own business and family
– Vocational training in partnership with commerce (re German dual system)
– Focus on ‘core’, strategic subjects
– More global experience in conjunction with overseas institutions (e.g. Oxford
University, Oxford Brookes)
– More internships at earlier age with multi-nationals and national private sector
companies.
– Do single sex colleges help or reduce integration?
• Career guidance for women
– Scientific career assessment for young women
– Review of options including entrepreneurship
Slide 21
Potential Focus (3)
• Help families to appreciate the benefits of women working
– Government and employers need to sell to families that work can be a source of honour
in a safe and respectful place (e.g. Etisalat)
– Praise and recognition for forward thinking families – give working women high status
– Global experience – Overseas travel could be eased by accompanying relative (e.g.
HSBC)
– Employers establish communication with families so that issues can be resolved before
they become problems
• Recommendations for Government/policy
– More support for business start-ups. Set up/encourage VC and incubators
– Tighter controls on immigrant labour (move away from cheapest labour towards capital
investment)
– Reduce public sector (Libya giving 400,000 nationals 3 years pay or help to start own
business)
– Seed capital for start-up initiatives for women
– UAE Strategy to define ‘core’ professions and drive strategic focus in education and
employment
Slide 22
How you can help
• Your comments/opinions ideas (can our researcher interview you?)
• Access to more UAE women for Phase 2 survey/interviews
• Collaborations, synergies, networking etc
• Sponsorship or contribution
• Email serra@muthabarafoundation.com
Slide 23
