Government entities, NGOs, and corporations across the globe aim to reduce the staggering numbers in the Global Gender Gap report by the World Economic Forum, which suggests that the current pace of women’s empowerment efforts will take 169 years to close the gender gap.
The partnership between Mastercard and the international organisation Women Choice is a prime example, led by Nezha Alaoui, a Moroccan-born social entrepreneur, to establish the Social Innovation Incubator for Women’s Employment. The partnership seeks to create 1 million jobs for women across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region by 2030. Additionally, they plan on providing 1,000 female social entrepreneurs with resources and training to start their own businesses. The partnership is set to reshape the SME landscape in the region through initiatives like the ‘ImpactHER’ and ‘EmpowerHER’ programmes, launched with the aim of offering training and mentorship to 50,000 women. “I was incredibly proud of the graduating cohort of our ImpactHER programme last year. Together with Mastercard, we are revolutionising the world, one extraordinary woman at a time.” Remarks Alaoui.Recent studies show that working mothers face higher levels of anxiety and depression in the workplace while balancing their motherhood lives, highlighting the urgent need for adapted workplace policies that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Considering these findings, companies are urged to reevaluate their approach to supporting working mothers, who are juggling a career and family. In this region, government efforts are already underway to create better conditions for working mothers. The UAE has recently proposed a hybrid setup for mothers with young children. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has rolled out initiatives to expand childcare services and remote work options.
