Empowered Women, Empower Women
Meet the movement working tirelessly to inspire and empower women of the UAE and beyond through literature, performing arts and engaging events
March marks one of our favourite holidays – International Women’s Day. Celebrating and recognising the achievements of women all across the world, the event calls for gender equality in honour of the UN International Women’s Day which, this year, falls under the theme: “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”
One group working to inspire women and girls year-round, however, is GREAT Females Inspire (Go For It!). This vibrant initiative brings together women from both the UAE and the UK, working in tandem to ignite change and empowerment, especially for young women and adolescent girls. The project fosters connections through shared experiences and best practices, mainly through a series of events designed to create real opportunities for growth.
One such event held at the end of last year saw Emirati architect Noora Al Awar, co-founder of Studio D04, and multi-disciplinary artist Sarah Al Agroobi, take centre stage at the Global Women’s Forum, organised by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and The WOW Foundation. Their participation sparked meaningful dialogue between women from both countries, as well as the USA, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Finland, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece and Nepal, diving deep into conversations on leadership, cultural exchange and personal growth. There’s no denying it helped pay tribute to the power of women supporting women, while also championing the importance of global connections and shared wisdom.
“We are inspired by the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, ‘Mother of the Nation,’ in empowering women and girls to realise their talents and achieve their dreams, no matter where they are – from the UAE to the UK and every corner of the globe,” said Her Excellency Huda Ibrahim AlKhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival. “This virtual forum seeks to strengthen ties between Emirati women leaders and their international counterparts. It aims to create a new network of women leaders from diverse sectors, foster cultural cooperation and exchange, and facilitate meaningful dialogue.”
While this doesn’t specifically reflect the UAE, reports have shown a rollback in women’s rights across the Middle East, which is definitely something we can’t ignore. But GREAT Females Inspire (Go For It!) knows that the way forward for women’s rights is all about collective action. It’s about joining forces, supporting each other and pushing for change together – something we’d all be wise to get behind.