14 | June 2013 www.womanthismonth.com Interview Shaping Business Leaders No economy in the world can afford to overlook women as a productive human resource. A new initiative in Bahrain seeks to support greater competitiveness and growth in the economy by enhancing women’s participation in the workforce and their access to markets. There is no denying Bahrain’s credentials in the Middle East region when it comes to initiatives in the realm of women’s empowerment. Even though much is being accomplished by government agencies, women in the Kingdom, especially those from less privileged backgrounds, are still in need of economic and social support to become fully contributing members of the economy. It is early days still for the newly launched Business and Professional Women’s Club (BPW) in Bahrain, but the ladies behind the initiative are quite ambitious about its scope — to empower Bahraini women and the youth to realise their true potential. The Bahrain chapter of the Club traces its antecedents to the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW), which was founded in Geneva in 1930. This organization was established to work for professional women everywhere, especially in the roles of mentoring and lobbying. The BPW is now an influential network of business and professional women from over 100 countries in five continents with consultative status at the United Nations. It is perhaps befitting that the club’s Bahrain chapter is headed by Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa, president of the Children and Mother’s Welfare Society. “This initiative is not to repeat what has already been done for women in Bahrain, but will complement the existing endeavours in developing the professional leadership and business potential of women at all levels. This will be done through advocacy, mentoring and skill building,” she notes. “In a free economy like Bahrain, the younger generation cannot expect to wait for government jobs to materialise. Rather, they could develop their skill and talent as entrepreneurs, launch their own ventures and contribute to the economic growth of the Kingdom.” As a regional business hub, Bahrain offers sufficient infrastructure to shape aspiring women into entrepreneurs and professionals. It also offers its female citizens enough space and freedom to pursue their dreams. “Women in Bahrain are empowered by law to travel freely, seek licenses for business as well as bank loans. They are confident and capable; we’ve seen that in many success stories. But in order to embark on the journey to entrepreneurship, young women need support and guidance from role models who have traversed the same path, and that’s where we come in,” she observes. Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa By Simi Kamboj
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