We were delighted to announce the latest initiative in the Gulf Education portfolio and were proud to partner with the Royal University for Women in Manama, Bahrain to ensure that this important event was staged at such a pertinent time.
A fast-growing global awareness of the gender gap in terms of remuneration, professional opportunities, and presence had highlighted the inequality across numerous industries worldwide – historically male-dominated industries despite strong female contribution. Women participated potently throughout all spheres of business, economic, infrastructure, and community growth and stability – yet experienced disparity continually. Leading institutes and think tanks were illuminating the issue of gender parity with studies and analysis that indicated the huge economic benefits to all should gender parity be achieved within the workplace.
At that time, as we all strived to ensure that the playing field did become level, it was apparent that what had gone before traditionally was undergoing intense scrutiny and was ready for the change. To achieve economic gender equality, we also needed to tackle social gender inequality – women needed to be equal partners in society for them to be equal participants in work. Globally, the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 ‘Gender Equity’ provided a supportive backdrop for this.
Education was the most significant factor towards the advancement of women, narrowing gender gaps in educational attainment not only helped to boost female participation in the workforce but also was strongly correlated with the status of girls and women in the family. Women who had parity in education were more likely to work in professional and technical occupations and to assume leadership roles. There were many Higher Education Institutions globally that had to increase their efforts to drive these developments to become current and sustainable.
That event marked the 8th education conference organised by GCL with a focus on the Gulf region. Having had success in London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we were honoured to partner with the Bahraini Royal University for Women for this important event.