Inaugural Sharjah women's forum organisers call for registrations

"Women Excelling in Economy" will evaluate methods of creating an enabling global economy for women

The first edition of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Global Summit (Weegs) is set to take place in Sharjah on December 4 to 5

The organisers, the UAE's Nama Women Advancement Establishment (Nama) and the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women (UN Women), are calling for interested parties to register for the summit, according to the state media agency WAM.

Themed "Women Excelling in Economy", this year’s inaugural forum will evaluate methods of creating an enabling global economy for women. It will provide a platform for participants to share best practices, place a focus on defining promising economic opportunities within each sector and highlight the achievements of women around the world.

The summit will feature inspiring leaders and experts on women’s economic empowerment and will put the spotlight on the ways companies, governments, international organisations and civil society can work together to make value chains work for women, enable the full participation of women-owned enterprises in value chains, create decent jobs for women, and provide equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs, locally and globally.

The event also provides a platform to share good practices and highlight the achievements of women around the world. Emphasis will be placed on drivers of economic empowerment that have been identified by the UN secretary general’s panel on women’s economic empowerment, and how the they can make a transformative contribution to achieving the UN's 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The event comes just weeks after Dubai hosted the women in leadership summit that featured global figures such as Auma Obama, the US president Barack Obama's sister, who works to enable economic and financial independence for disavantaged people in Kenya.

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"The two-day Weegs has been established as a premium forum that will see participation from world’s authorities on women’s empowerment, gender equality advocates, academics, thought leaders from various industries and female entrepreneurs," says Reem BinKaram, the director of Nama, which "aspires to go beyond the scope of supporting women and ensuring gender equality and push for them to become influential key members of society".

"Discussions at the forum will involve ways to influence global policy that secure the interests of women who want to play a more active role in their economies. This is a seminal event on women’s economic empowerment and we encourage anyone with an interest in advancing the role of women in the economy to register."

Weegs was conceived to advance the UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development (ASD), which was adopted by the organisation in September 2015. Women’s empowerment is both a standalone goal and a critical element throughout the 17 SDGs of the 2030 ASD. This reinforces the inextricable links between gender equality, human rights, economic growth and environmental sustainability, with gender equality and women’s empowerment enshrined as a priority throughout the agenda’s 17 SDG’s.

"The inaugural Weegs is another significant collaboration between Nama and UN Women that will deliver on the women’s economic empowerment dimensions of the SDG’s. Our core philosophy at NAMA is to raise awareness that women are an indispensable human resource for the development of every nation. The organisation was conceived to go beyond the remit of supporting women and ensuring gender equality to a have a broader scope that aims to see women become influential key members of society, thereby enabling them to climb the ladder of success," adds Ms BinKaram.

Held under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi, the chairperson of Nama and wife of Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Weegs will be held every two years.