GCC countries have very low percentages of women on corporate boards, and most MENA banks do not have any women board members. Nasser Saudi, chief economist of DIFC authority, announced a joint venture to develop women leaders and form a network of women entrepreneurs, noting a lack of women's education in fields leading to corporate management positions. On the same day, there was a meeting between the GCC education ministers and the Arab Bureau of Education to discuss education issues, as the ministers were in town for an annual education conference. Also that day, Dubai Academic City held an education forum on research and improvements in education. While there are many conferences, initiatives and discussions around education reform and empowering women, the

1. Gender diversity
Belgium has the lowest gender pay gap followed by New Zealand then Poland then denmark. GCC countries
have less than 1.5% women on boards and 78% of Mena banks do not have women board members those
that are there are not hired on merits.
Nasser Saudi chief economist of DIFC authority says that they are announcing a joint venture with Hawkamah
and Madura institute for development of women leaders as they enter boardrooms, and forming of a
network of women entrepreneurs. He said there is lack of education in fields that will allow women to excel
in corporate management, he also said that “We educate women and then park them at home? What a
waste?”
On the Same day as this was written in the papers there was a meeting between Sheikh Mohammed and the
GCC ministers of education and the Arab bureau of education discussing a host of education related issues.
The ministers came here to be in the 21st general conference.
Queen RANIA raises funds in a charity dinner in Bahrain for her project "madrasati Palestine women's
network” with Sheikh SALMAN who by the way chairs the most important conference in the gulf on
education (annual conference for Educators)
Also yesterday Dubai Academic City held their education forum discussing research and developments and
improvements in education.
All of this happened in one day only. If we scroll through the dozens of newspapers, magazines, radio
podcasts, TV news, emails from Arabian business etc, you will find so many initiatives on education, and so
many talks about improving it in our world. At the same time you find a stupid policeman whipping a woman
in the streets of Sudan despite the profit’s saying that we should respect woman and carry them like water
on a plate.
Who are we kidding? I am not a pessimistic person, and everyone says that I have so much positive energy,
however when I read all of these items and attend the conferences and the seminars I become more and
more pessimistic in seeing any improvements, maybe not in my life time? Maybe the kids of my youngest
daughter will see a change?
What do I want to see? I don't want to see efforts and money spent here, there, and everywhere on
conference and seminars. I don't want to see a non unified efforts on improving the lives of women, I don't
want to see charity dinners to raise funds (the meal itself can feed a lot of poor and hungry stomachs) I don't
want to see ministers meeting, and what they discussed never gets cascaded to the people who are actually
doing the work. I don't want to see individual initiatives to empower children, men or women? We need an
educational revolution, and we must start from the top down?
For example, have you seen an email from a minister in your life? I surely haven't seen one, despite sending
many to their secretaries. Have you seen a reply to a letter from a top person in an important place? Nop,
have you been able to showcase your idea without fear of it being stolen and applied? Nop again
If I was the government I will be living in the streets for people to talk to me and ask me things, I will have
secretaries (like the movie letters to Juliet) who will answer letters that the public had sent to me and never
be guards that prevent people from talking to me. I will have networks by neighborhood, and listen to kids,
and see projects that children designed as maybe they are the ones that can change the world.

2. But I am not the government; most of our governments are scared that if they walk in the streets people will
ask them for money? Or will shoot them? And as the saying goes, if you fear something it may happen to you.
So why fear? And why anticipate? Why not imagine that those who are going to stop you in the streets are
people with ideas that will improve the lives of other people? Why not have a Chanel where people go and
say their ideas and initiatives without red tape, and without fear of losing their intellectual property. Many
why's, with no possible answers.