“Women can drive” a statement deemed so obvious to the majority and yet, simply didn’t ring true for Saudi women until less than five years ago, in September of 2017, when the Kingdom revoked its ban on women drivers. Since then, the call for gender parity has reverberated across the region, and it seems to have made lasting cracks in the proverbial glass ceiling.
As an Arab woman, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of media in shaping perceptions. Traditionally, the portrayal of Arab women in television has been that of a non-essential character whose identity and survival hinges on a man – exacerbated with narratives that reinforce stereotypes of docility, dependence, and insecurity.
However, over the years, and as technology developed, Arab women started to gain access to platforms, including social media, where they have greater opportunities to express themselves, connect with like-minded individuals, showcase their capabilities, and – in the absence of culturally nurtured judgement – participate in the discourse about equality in every facet of life.
The current landscape
Indicating an onset of better times, the UAE, as a prime example, is rallying towards achieving gender parity in the workforce. Its Gender Balance Council, emancipated in 2015, opened doors for Arab women in the corporate realm. Similarly, Saudi Arabia has opened its arms to a new generation of working women. In 2021, women made up 33% of the Kingdom’s workforce, nearly double the number in comparison to statistics presented about five years ago.
In tandem, the rising purchasing power of Arab women caught the attention of marketers and entertainment moguls the world over. Various brand and entertainment companies sought to rope Arab women into their marketing campaigns in a bid to increase domestic resonance amongst an increasingly empowered community of Middle-Eastern women.
Given that women empowerment and enablement within regional media and entertainment industry is at nascent stages, we can learn from the many pioneers that have paved the way and helped to break barriers, and shift gear – now that we can all drive – on basic best practices.
Putting women leaders in the forefront of the business
The burgeoning fight for female consumers and viewers, now more than ever, calls for a greater need for female-led ideas in businesses. The fact of the matter is that brands with female leaders involved in decision-making processes can boast the competitive advantage by having their hands on the pulse of their female consumers as well as, even more importantly, their innate understanding of the target demographic.
I’m fortunate to be working for a global network which continually strives for all-inclusive content and entertainment, a value which is ingrained in our operations and that is upheld by our incredible, balanced team of male and female leaders.
Through our Arabic food network, Fatafeat, we aim to bridge the gender gap and break the stereotype around cooking being a role for women. We do this by recruiting a mix of talented female and male chefs and giving them the platform to showcase their culinary expertise free from any bias or typecast. We’ve also attracted a dedicated female fanbase with our show Say Yes to The Dress Arabia. With this show we sought to highlight the many layers of a bride – their goals, aspirations, and the different roles they juggle – looking skin-deep into the surface-level idea of female beauty.
The changing face of Arab women means the reconstruction of the socio-cultural, political, and economic landscape as we know it. This leaves businesses with an imperative need to transform their old practices and begin giving women more seats at the decision-making table to avoid falling behind this growing shift.
Though we are slowly progressing with the increasing number of women in the workforce and a decreasing gap in constitutional rights, there’s still a lot of work to be done. As I look at the direction we’re heading; I’d like to propound that the only way forward is inclusivity.
Layla Tamim, Head of Ad Sales and Brand Partnerships, MENA at Discovery Inc.
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