Overcoming Barriers: The Challenges and Triumphs of Women Entrepreneurs in the Middle East

Women entrepreneurs play a vital and influential role in the economy and society of the Middle East. However, they face numerous challenges that differ from those encountered by their male counterparts. Despite the significant growth in the number of women entering the business world in the region, many obstacles remain that hinder their potential.

In an interview with nadormagazine, engineer Amro Sawira, a designer and entrepreneur, described female entrepreneurs as a driving force in the Middle East business market. He emphasized the importance of helping them overcome barriers to make a real impact.

Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs

Engineer Amro Sawira - Photo from the source

Sawira listed several challenges that women entrepreneurs face and suggested solutions to overcome them. These challenges include:

Social and Cultural Challenges

Women entrepreneurs often face challenges rooted in Arab culture, such as:

• Gender Role Stereotyping:
  "Women often face social and cultural pressures to focus on traditional roles like motherhood and household management, which reduces the time and energy available to pursue business ventures," says Sawira.

• Gender Discrimination:
  Women also face discrimination and bias in the workplace and entrepreneurship environment, making it difficult to secure funding, training, and mentorship. Additionally, women often lack social support from family, friends, and society, which increases the difficulty of balancing personal and professional lives.

• Lack of Role Models:
  In some cases, women entrepreneurs in the Middle East lack local role models or inspiration from prominent female success stories. While there are successful women in business in the region, their numbers are still limited compared to men. Sawira points out, "This challenge makes it hard for women to chart clear paths to success. Community support for women-led businesses is not as strong as it is for male-led ventures."

Economic Challenges

Women in the Middle East also face several economic challenges, as identified by Sawira:

• Difficulty Accessing Funding:
  Women sometimes struggle to secure the funding needed to start and grow their businesses, as investors and financial institutions tend to favor men.

• Legal Constraints:
  Certain legal and regulatory restrictions limit women’s ability to engage in business, such as restrictions on travel and ownership.

• Difficulty Reaching Local and International Markets:
  Women entrepreneurs also face challenges in accessing both local and international markets, limiting their opportunities for business growth.

Despite improvements in some countries, gender discrimination persists in business environments across the Middle East. Women may find themselves constantly battling unequal pay, discrimination in promotions, or having their abilities downplayed due to social or cultural considerations. Achieving success in such environments requires considerable determination and adaptability, though the impact of these challenges cannot be underestimated.

Personal Challenges

Sawira believes that these challenges often reflect on the personal lives of women, resulting in additional difficulties, such as:

• Lack of Self-Confidence and Abilities:
  Women may suffer from low self-confidence and doubt in their abilities, which affects their decision-making and willingness to take risks.

• Difficulty Balancing Personal and Professional Life:
  A female entrepreneur may struggle to balance her professional life with family responsibilities. She might fear failure, leading her to avoid risks and innovation.

Women in the Middle East face a double challenge in balancing professional and family responsibilities. In some cultures, women are expected to handle both household and family duties alongside managing a business. While society in some cases is not yet fully supportive of women entrepreneurs in this regard, this dual pressure can affect women’s performance and their ability to innovate and grow their businesses.

Inspirational Examples

Despite these challenges, many successful women entrepreneurs in the Middle East have managed to overcome them and achieve great success. Examples include:

• Lubna Olayan: A prominent Saudi businesswoman who serves as CEO and Deputy Chairman of Olayan Group.
• Raja’a Qargash: An Emirati businesswoman, CEO of Emaar Properties.
• Muna Attari: A Jordanian businesswoman and founder and manager of Wamda Investment.

Initiatives to Support Women Entrepreneurs

Sawira highlighted several initiatives and programs aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs in the Middle East, including:

• "1000 Female Entrepreneurs" initiative in the UAE.
• "Empowering Women in Business" program in Saudi Arabia.
• "Ruwad" Foundation in Jordan.

Suggestions to Overcome Challenges

Sawira proposed several suggestions to help overcome these challenges and assist women entrepreneurs in the Middle East, including:

• Networking:
  Building strong networks can provide the necessary support, guidance, and opportunities for success.

• Training:
  Training and mentorship programs can help women develop the skills and abilities needed to manage businesses.

• Support and Role Models:
  Seeking mentors who can offer advice, guidance, and support is crucial for success.

• Determination and Resilience:
  Women must remain determined and resilient, refusing to give up when faced with challenges.

Despite these obstacles, women entrepreneurs in the Middle East remain symbols of perseverance and resilience. Many women in the region have shown the ability to overcome these barriers and contribute effectively to the economy and society. With growing support for female entrepreneurship from government initiatives, the private sector, and NGOs, there is great hope that women entrepreneurs in the future will overcome these challenges and achieve success and excellence.