5 July 2004
DUBAI - Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) has decided to provide young and upcoming women entrepreneurs in UAE a launch pad which would provide all the assistance from feasibility study to consultation, in all areas including setting up of business to availability of finances, for small and medium ventures in UAE.
The council is striving to encourage the youngsters particularly the post graduate students to enter the business world through exposing the DBWC members success and experiences. In past two years since its inception the council has been making efforts to consolidate the business women's council platform to expose young women enterpreneurs. In a recently held General Assembly meeting for DBWC, Khalee Times caught up with Raja Al Gurg, President, Dubai Businesswomen Council for an exclusive intervierw.
Q. What is the role of women in UAE Business World?
A. The woman in UAE has an important and outstanding role in all economical and social fields of activities, whereupon the commercial, industrial and service works being handled by the woman are forming an important element in the country's economical structure. The spectacular movement of economical development and major accomplishments achieved by Dubai Emirate, year after year have resulted enormous number of business women establishments that turned their sector into an active element in Dubai Business Community. The Businesswomen Council that is working under the umbrella of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry will exert all what it has of capabilities to develop the establishments and firms related to business women in Dubai and get the maximum benefit of facilities and support being offered by the chamber in order to achieve the ambitions of that important section of Dubai's economical structure.
Q. What efforts is DBWC undertaking to develop business women establish ments?
A. The development of businesswomen establishments is deemed as a completion of economical structure in Dubai, therefore the Council will intensify its local and international promotional activities of business women establishments by participating actively in the conferences and workshops being held inside and outside the country. The council also will have its participations in the local and international events, besides creating the active channels that open new spectra of development and upgrading, thus to go along with the regional and international distinguished reputation of Dubai.
Q. Women conventionally are still hooked on to professions such as beauty and tailoring, when do you think we will be able to break the mould and progress a step further towards more challenging sectors?
A. Role of women in UAE economy is gaining momentum day after day, a women's participation in UAE economy is extremely important. We are yet to witness transition from conventional areas of profession from beauty, tailoring to other more callenging sectors of economy such as IT, Telecom, Finance and Infrastructure. The women have now come out and are gradually moving towards these challenging sectors.
Q. What are the long-term objectives of the DBWC?
A. The council's main objective is to establsih network of business, professional and academic women in Dubai. The council also deals with issues and problems that all women share, especially common business education and business career. Its main thrust is to connect the women's business community to one another and public policy makers.
BY SANDHYA D'MELLO
© Khaleej Times 2004
