AIWF President & Founder Haifa Al Kaylani OBE was delighted to participate as a keynote speaker at the recent third edition of the Women and Society Research Conference (WSRC 2025), which took place under the patronage of the Supreme Council for Women at the Royal University for Women from May 11 to 12, 2025, at the RUW campus under the theme: “Advancing Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability.”
This year’s conference specifically highlighted the remarkable leadership and impactful contributions of Bahraini women in nation-building, economic development, and sustainability, in alignment with the Bahraini Women’s Day theme: “Women: A Worthy Partner in Building the State.” It also showcased Bahrain’s pioneering experience in women’s empowerment under the leadership of the Supreme Council for Women.
“AIWF has a long history in Bahrain where we are very active and where all our Global Partners have a key presence. Over the decades AIWF has seen first-hand how Bahraini women have assumed influential roles in every sector and sphere over recent years, and how they have contributed significantly to the Kingdom’s economic and social development. The commitment of the Bahraini leadership to sustainability and social and economic wellbeing of the Bahraini people is nothing short of inspirational, and it has resulted in a generation of Bahraini women who are leading the way forward and using their education, talent, and skills to further both economic growth and sustainable development.” – Haifa Al Kaylani OBE
The conference featured high-level keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops, providing valuable insights into women’s roles and contributions across various sectors. Key themes included women in leadership, law, and education, women in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, women in sustainability, architecture, and the arts, women’s health, sports, and well-being, and various interdisciplinary tracks focusing on research and policy development.
In her address, ‘Women in Sustainability, Innovation, and the Arts: Advancing the Green, Blue, and Orange Economies’, Haifa shared her personal journey as well as insights on the achievements of Bahraini women leaders and how they are truly inspiring women all over the region and indeed, globally, in business, education and sustainability, as we inch ever closer to the 2030 SDGs watershed. She shared the story of AIWF, from its founding in London in 2001 to the present day global advocacy on women in STEM, sustainability, business and education. She also paid tribute to the Chair of the AIWF Executive Committee, Her Excellency Mona Al Moayyed, Managing Director of YK Al Moayyed & Sons and one of the world’s most prominent and renowned Bahraini business women leaders, saying: “Mona has inspired all of us at AIWF with her exemplary leadership and tireless contributions to the Board, to the growth and development and sustainability of AIWF over the years as one of the world’s longest established women’s organisations dedicated to empowering women in the Arab world.”
Notably, Haifa pointed out, Bahraini women own 25% of all businesses, supported by the Riyadat Women’s Development Center — a pioneering institution that empowers women entrepreneurs. In recognition of the growing importance of the digital economy, Bahrain has also prioritised gender inclusion in the tech sector through the formation of the Women in FinTech Committee. She said: “It was no surprise to us at AIWF that in the World Bank’s 2024 Women, Business and the Law index, covering 190 economies and structured around the life cycle of a working woman, the overall score for Bahrain was higher than the regional average observed across the MENA.”
The conference served as a premier international and interdisciplinary platform that brought together over 300 participants, including renowned researchers, academics, industry leaders, and experts from around the world. This year, the conference received over 150 research papers from researchers and scholars worldwide, reflecting the event’s high academic standing and global reach.
The event commenced on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 9:00 AM with an opening ceremony featuring a welcoming address by Professor Riyad Hamzah, President of RUW, followed by sessions on women in sustainability, innovation, and the arts, entrepreneurship, and leadership. On the second day, the sessions covered women in public leadership and education, women’s health and well-being, including a celebration of International Nurses Day. The conference concluded with the presentation of key recommendations.
This event was held in partnership with the Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (BGCEL) as the knowledge partner and sponsored by Almoayyed Motors as the strategic partner.
