Listen to stories and interviews of remarkable women in the GCC countries. Be inspired.
Bahrain
- Roqaya Al-Gassra
- Sportswoman of the Year
- First woman to represent Bahrain at the Olympic Games (2004)
- Sheikha Mai bint Mohammad Al Khalifa
- Minister of Culture & Chairperson of the UN World Heritage Committee
- HH Sheikha Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa
- Wife of King of Bahrain
- Head of Supreme Council for women
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Muna AbuSulayman
- Saudi’s UN Goodwill Ambassador
- Young Global Leader at the Davos World Economic Forum
- Norah Al-Faiz
- First female member of the Saudi Arabian Council of Ministers
- Vice Minister for Women’s Education
- Arwa Al-Mtabqati
- First woman member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Federation for Equestrian
- HRH Princess Adela bint Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
- Strong advocate for women’s rights
- President of the Board of Directors of the Center
- Latifa Al-Sheikh
- The youngest Saudi female jockey
- HH Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel
- Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the Alwaleed bin Talal Foundation
- Board of Trustees of Silatech
- Womens’ rights advocate and Fashion icon
- Nora Alyousif
- Parliamentary Advisor
Kuwait
- Al Ayoub Sisters; Basalam & Lulwa Al-Ayoub
- Professional Fencers
- Maha Al-Ghunaim
- Kuwaiti Businesswoman
- Cofounder and Chair of Global Investment House
- Massouma al-Mubarak
- First female minister
- Amani Bourseli
- Only woman in the Kuwait 16-minister cabinet
- Minister of Commerce and Industry (2011)
- Economic Policy and Knowledge Development Achiever Award Recipient (2010)
Oman
- Rawiyah bint Saud al Busaidiyah
- Minister of Higher Education
- First woman in Omani cabinet as minister
- First woman minister in the gulf
- Hunaina Sultan Al-Mughairy
- First Arab Woman Ambassador to the US
- Dedicated to improving image of Arab women in the United States
- Yuthar Mohammed Mussallam Al Rawahy
- President of National Association for Cancer Awareness (NACA)
- Mariam Belhaf
- Local businesswoman who sells products made from Fanchise
United Arab Emirates
- Salma Mohammed Al Balushi
- First Emrati female pilot
- Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- Martial arts champion
- First Gulf woman to carry her nation’s flag at the Olympic
- Heba al Samt
- Co-Founder of Emirati Tweet, the UAE’s first online Majlis
- Elham Al Qasimi
- First Arab woman to reach the North Pole
- HH Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al-Qasimi
- Forbes Most Powerful Arab Woman 2010
- UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
- Shamsa Noor Ali Rashid
- CEO of Forsa
- Hala Kazim *
- Founder of “Journey Through Change”
- Artist and has her own label, “My Private Collection”
- HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak
- President of the General Women’s Union
- President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood
- Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation
- Honored by the UN with the Memorial Shield of Honor
- Raya Rammal
- Trailblazer of the Year award for women in media (2010)
- Sports Media Woman of the Year(2010)
* after names signify an GCCWomen.org interview
Featured Celebrating Women
Interview with Hala Kazim
By: Farrah Alshash One of the most interesting and inspiring moments of my life occurred on this September day, when I got to sit and get to know Hala Kazim, “aka mama Hala”, the founder of “Journey Through Change”. You can read about people all the time, but when you get to meet and know the person first hand, it’s different. It can be a hit or miss. Meeting with Kazim was like taking a breath of fresh air on a beautiful spring morning. I couldn’t help but feel motivated, inspired, and full of positive energy during our...
read moreInterview with Muna AbuSulayman
A rising star to watch, Muna AbuSulayman is Saudi’s UN Goodwill Ambassador, a TV personality with a number one hit show for five years, and a Young Global Leader at the Davos World Economic Forum. She is the first woman to head up the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation (ABTF), and the mother of two girls under sixteen. There are clearly many reasons that Muna AbuSulayman is known as an extraordinary role...
read morePanel Discussion with Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi
Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi is the first woman to assume a cabinet position in the United Arab Emirates and has served as the country’s Minister for Foreign Trade since 2008. From 2004 to 2008, she was Minister for Economy of the U.A.E. Prior to entering politics, she was a successful businesswoman in the Gulf region. Three decades of experience in business and politics have made her an ideal champion for entrepreneurs in the GCC and beyond. She also continues to serve on the Board of Tejari, of which she was at one time...
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