Forum hears of barriers to women’s leadership

AMMAN — In celebration of International Women’s Day, a discussion forum was held on Monday to explore means to empower women and celebrate the tremendous endeavours exerted by women to shape a more equal future while recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Titled “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a World of COVID-19”, the forum was organised by Better Business, a management consultancy and capacity building firm.

Most of the new generation aspire to be managers or leaders, “but they are impatient”, Kholoud Saqqaf, CEO of the Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF), said.

“I always tell them that they have to go up the stairs step by step and take risks, as sometimes taking risks can lead to a paradigm shift in life. And that support is very important to reach senior positions,” she said.

Abeer Qumsieh, founder and CEO of Better Business, highlighted the increase in gender inequality amid pandemic.

“According to the World Bank, studies indicate that men and women were greatly affected during the pandemic, but the greatest impact was on women, especially in job losses or resignations due to the challenges that women face, as the pandemic deepened the causes of the inequality between men and women,” Qumsieh said.

Nisreen Qatamish, director general of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), highlighted the important role of women in the health sector.

“Fifty-three per cent of workers in the health sector are women, and 80 per cent of the nursing staff are women. This is an excellent representation of women in the health sector, but the problem lies in the presence of women in leadership positions, whether in the health sector or other sectors,” Qatamish said.

Qatamish noted that several aspects play a role in stopping women from taking on leadership roles, the most important of which is the personal aspect.

“The real challenge is the balance between work, social life and household responsibilities. In order for women to succeed in leadership roles, they need a supportive work environment, equality between men and women, the willingness and readiness of women to work on themselves and develop, changing the social norms and getting rid of stereotypes,” Qatamish said.

Muhannad Mukahall, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Jordan, praised the women working on the frontline against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mukahall also called for preserving the hard-earned achievements related to women’s rights despite the adverse impact of the pandemic.

Noora Al Nusuf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Marketing (Middle East – excl UAE) of Standard Chartered Bank, noted that the pandemic has shed light on the importance of empowering women economically.

Women should be convinced that they are capable of leadership work and can face any challenge. They must believe in their ability to succeed in these positions, as conviction and confidence are very important in order to succeed, Nusuf said.

 Nadia Shahin, General Manager at Amin Kawar & Sons Shipping, said that a welcoming workplace environment is vital for women to be successful in taking on leadership positions.