Arab Woman Awards 2021: Winners To Be Announced Today At World of Fashion

In partnership with UN Women, the year’s event will continue its legacy of honouring the formidable female minds and their brilliant ideas, with a focus on sustainability and championing gender balance

Be it tackling hunger or fighting COVID-19, there’s no shortage of women from the region and beyond dedicated to solving issues that affect our everyday lives and the welfare of humanity, all making greats strides in achieving gender parity and championing sustainability. “Research repeatedly shows that the contribution and leadership of women are key drivers to achieving sustainable and equitable development for all; women and men,” writes Susanne Mikhail Eldhagen, UN Women Regional Director for the Arab States, in this month’s column for Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, highlighting that the critical thinking, problem solving mindset and tenacity of women everywhere really does benefit us all.

This is precisely why the Arab Woman Awards was founded 13 years ago, with the goal of providing the formidable females from the region with a platform dedicated entirely to celebrating their discoveries, achievements and humanitarian efforts; highlighting their success stories first-hand, while inspiring others to scale new heights in the quest for the betterment of society.

Winners from last year’s Arab Women Awards include Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, who was named ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ for her leadership of the ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign; Dr.Farida Al Hosani, Executive Director of Communicable Diseases at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center and one of three medical doctors recognised for their work responding to COVID-19 – a crisis which has disproportionately affected women throughout the region and beyond; and Dubai-based content creator Karen Wazen, who won the Digital Media Award for her contribution to social media during the pandemic.

This year’s Arab Woman Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 13th in partnership with UN Women and presented by Harper’s Bazaar Arabia at Mall of the Emirates.

While last year’s awards highlighted the women who championed COVID-19 solutions, the Arab Woman Awards 2021 will honour a broad range of women working across a variety of fields who have focused their efforts on sustainability, gender balance and fostering a workplace that is conducive to female advancement.

The event will see the announcement of the winners, followed by a private ceremony for award recipients and judges to be hosted by Sue Holt, Managing Director of ITP Media Group, and Susanne Mikhail, board member of the Arab Woman Awards.

There will be 18 categories determined by the board members, each one an expert within their respective sectors and previous awardees; which include H.H. Sheikha Maytha Hasher Al Maktoum, founder of BeYou Boutique; Alissar Nasr, Chief Academic Officer at AMSI, Al Mawakeb Schools and ISAS; Elham Al Qasim, CEO of Digital 14 (and the first Emirati woman to reach the North Pole); Manal Ataya, Director General of the Sharjah Museums Authority; Nadine Maalouf, philanthropist and founder of 81 Designs Social Enterprise; Paula al Askari, Art Patron and co-founder of Umsiyat Concert Series; Dr. Sawsan Al Madhi, the director general of Friends of Cancer Patients; and Susanne Mikhail, regional director of UN Women – Arab States.

While women from the region are making great strides in improving the future for us all, there’s still work to be done – and the Arab Woman Awards will continue to honour those fearless females and their innovative ideas, as they tirelessly work to make tomorrow a better place for us all.

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s October 2021 issue