KUWAIT: Chairperson of the Arab Businesswomen Council (ABC) and Ambassador of the Arab Region for the International Federation of Businesswomen Sheikha Hessa Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah underlined the importance of empowering women economically to improve their opportunities to participate in the labor market, and spread the culture of entrepreneurship among women.

In a press statement on Sunday, Sheikha Hessa commended the active participation of the delegation from the Kuwaiti Federation of Professionals and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the regional conference for Asia-Pacific countries that was recently held in Bahrain entitled “Economic Empowerment of Women and Young Entrepreneurs,” in collaboration with the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW International).

“Women around the world still face obstacles that prevent them from succeeding as entrepreneurs. However, there are growing positive changes in the Middle East and North Africa region, represented by some reforms aimed at accelerating the pace to achieve gender equality. This is what we are working on”, Sheikha Hessa said.

Kuwait and the world need women to work with men as equal partners to overcome the challenges the future holds by enhancing the economic empowerment of women and increasing the opportunities available to them as an incentive towards the establishment of a more sustainable society in which economic growth benefits everyone, she explained. The conference was a good opportunity to exchange expertise and experiences, which included about 180 participants from BPW International, SMEs, young entrepreneurs, and those interested in the economic empowerment of women and youth from all countries of the world affiliated with BPW International, she mentioned.

Sheikha Hessa appreciated the efforts of those who organized the conference, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East, and which presented, through its various sessions, a series of local, regional and international success stories, which contributes to strengthening women’s access to work and developing their skills in various sectors.

She pointed out the importance of women and entrepreneurs joining forces and working together to achieve equality in work between men and women, given the knowledge, culture, economic intelligence, and clear role women possess in society. She noted it is the responsibility of all women to achieve the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations for 2023. — KUNA