On 29 October, AIWF President & Founder Haifa Al Kaylani OBE was delighted to chair a virtual panel on “Women’s Entrepreneurship: Driving Economic Growth in the Middle East.” The event was held in collaboration with the International Panel on Social Progress (IPSP) as part of the Forum for Social Progress 2025, and was attended by hundreds of participants from around the world.
It was truly inspiring to engage with four exceptional women leaders who are shaping the economic and social landscape across the MENA region: The Honourable Lujaina Darwish, Chairperson, ITICS, Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, Oman; Caroline Fattal, Chairwoman, Fattal Group, Lebanon; Sarah El Battouty, Founder, ECOnsult Architecture & UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, Egypt; and Rama Kayyali, CEO, Little Thinking Minds, Jordan.
The discussion highlighted the transformative role of women entrepreneurs, from family businesses with decades of legacy to innovative, tech-driven startups, in driving economic growth, nurturing innovation, and creating meaningful employment opportunities in the Arab world to address the persistent challenge of low labour force participation of women and young people in the region. We also explored how inclusive leadership, AI innovation, and regional collaboration can accelerate progress, and how empowering women in business strengthens not only economies but whole communities and societies. We drew from real world examples of successful initiatives in the region and from current data produced by the World Bank, the OECD and other international institutions with which AIWF has always worked so closely in our advocacy for women’s empowerment and economic inclusion in the region.
AIWF is deeply grateful to our distinguished speakers for sharing their vision and expertise; their insights served as a powerful reminder that when women are supported, encouraged, and provided with opportunities, they can achieve extraordinary impact. This was AIWF’s first collaboration with IPSP and Haifa’s first IPSP event as a new member of the IPSP Advisory Board.
A very special thank you to Dr Margo Thomas, Co-Executive Director of IPSP, for her leadership and partnership in advancing this vital global dialogue on inclusive, democratic, and sustainable social progress. For more information about IPSP, please visit the IPSP website here.
