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Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen's Network Elects Officers, Prepares for Growth
Self-sustaining NGO will expand women’s economic empowerment in the region
An idea conceived by businesswomen at a 2005 meeting in Tunis to establish formal linkages across the MENA region has taken a major step forward on its way to formalizing these relationships. Officially launched in Abu Dhabi in 2006 as a loose-knit network, the MENA Businesswomen’s Network (MENA BWN) recently elected its first group of officers who, along with its Board of Directors, will lead the Network through the startup phase as an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization.
The new leadership was announced at the June 16-18 semi-annual MENA BWN Leadership Meeting in Doha, Qatar. Afnan Al Zayani, member of the Bahrain Businesswomen Society (BBS) and president of Al Zayani Commercial Services, was elected President; Amel Bouchamaoui, vice president of Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises (CNFCE) and head of Maille Fil, a textile company based in Tunisia, will serve as Vice President; and Lana Dajani, member of Business and Professional Women – Amman and HR manager at Arabtech Jardaneh Engineers and Architects, will be Treasurer. Members of the MENA BWN are businesswomen’s organizations from 11 Network “Hub” countries in the Gulf, the Levant and North Africa, each acting as one voting representative on the Board of Directors.
For almost three years, with support from the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative, members of the Network have conducted programs reaching over 10,000 businesspeople and professionals, helping them to develop business skills, build and strengthen their own networks, participate in forums with high profile U.S. and regional experts and ”give back” to their communities through mentoring and advocacy programs.
“It is a pleasure to work with these accomplished women and an honor to serve them as we work toward our shared goals of promoting women’s entrepreneurship and increasing the number and value of women’s businesses,” said Afnan Al Zayani, incoming president. “At the same time, we are focused on ensuring that our work has greater benefit to our communities and neighbors by making them better places to live and work in,” she added.
The MENA BWN is currently funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative of the U.S. Department of State with program management and operational support coming from Vital Voices Global Partnership. Since its inception, the intent has been that the MENA BWN would become an autonomous and self-sustaining NGO and the election of officers and subsequent planning and development continues to move it in that direction.
Vital Voices trains and empowers women leaders around the world and the MENA BWN is a major initiative in its economic advancement efforts. “This is a remarkable group of women who are successful in their own businesses, active in their communities and who clearly see that the opportunity for greater collaboration locally, regionally and globally will bring great benefit to all. They believe deeply in the power of this Network,” said Mary MacPherson, director of the MENA BWN for Vital Voices. “What seems very unique is the extent of collaboration and focus on really doing business across this vast and diverse geography. It is inspiring and you can literally feel the energy driving them forward,” she commented.
The MENA Businesswomen’s Network continues to grow and thrive as Network Hubs expand their membership and new Hub countries join. The continued collaboration of businesswomen in the Middle East and North Africa will expand economic opportunities for all women in the region, allowing for more jobs created, economic growth, and increased prosperity.”
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