The First Arab Women Leadership Forum
Women and Leadership: Global Trends and Local Innovations |
 The Dubai School of Government’s Gender and Public Policy Program joined the Dubai Women’s Establishment (DWE) as knowledge partner for the First Arab Women Leadership Forum: ‘Women and Leadership: Global Trends and Local Innovations’, which was held from the 13th-14th of January 2009, at the Monarch Hotel in Dubai. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, the Forum is an annual conference organized by the DWE which provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of outstanding individuals and organizations that have contributed to advancing women’s leadership worldwide. The two day conference was comprised of a series of exciting panels and workshops, distinguished speakers, and leading intellectuals, and provided an opportunity for participants to learn, engage in challenging discussions, and network.
Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Women’s Establishment, delivered the keynote speech for the event, which was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in addition to several UAE ministers and dignitaries. The conference hosted over 400 people from the UAE and across the region. Maitha Al Shamsi, Managing Director of the Dubai Women’s Establishment was among those who congratulated DSG on its successful role as knowledge partner.
The DWE’s mandate is to contribute to the economic and social development of the UAE through gender sensitive policy design, research, leadership development programs, and networking events. Through these initiatives, the DWE aims at creating opportunities to engage UAE women in the country’s development process. Through the collaborative efforts of this conference, the Gender and Public Policy Program aims to contribute towards a better understanding of the gender gap in leadership in the Arab world.
The first day consisted of four panels exploring different aspects of women and leadership. The four panels focused on
- Women and Leadership Research: The State of the Art
- Leadership Development: Universal Models and Culturally Specific Applications
- Leadership and Organizational Change: Fostering Women’s Leadership in Organizations
- Approaches to Closing the Leadership Gender Gap
 The first panel started with an overview of current cutting edge multidisciplinary research on women and leadership. In this panel, the world’s leading researchers on leadership took stock of the current state of research on women’s leadership through the lens of psychology, economics and management.
The second panel focused on an examination of different models of leadership development. This panel featured the world’s prominent women and leadership development programs from the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and compared different approaches to developing leaders.
 The third panel shifted the discussion away from individual leaders to contextual factors by addressing the ways in which organizations can foster women’s leadership. Leading policy makers and human resource specialists shared their perspectives on strategies and policies that can be used to encourage diversity, increase retention, bolster job satisfaction and work-life balance.
 Finally, the last panel brought together the different frameworks that can assist us in closing the gender gap in leadership. Thus, after the overview of research, leadership development, and women’s roles in the economy, the final panel brought together leading organizations and initiatives that are focused on providing innovative solutions to promoting women’s leadership and lasting positive change.
In addition, the Gender an Public Policy Program hosted a networking dinner for participants of the First Arab Women Leadership Forum and participants of DSG’s executive education program on negotiation for leadership:
Link to the conference website: www.awlf.ae
Link to the Dubai Women’s Establishment: www.dwe.gov.ae
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