She is Arab, the first dedicated speakers’ platform for Arab women in the world launched today in the UAE as its first country of operation in line with the country’s commitment to gender equality. Incubated at In5 Tech in Dubai Internet City, its vision is to be the new voice of Arab women and its aspiration is to become a credible reference point for organizations on gender equality and women empowerment in the MENA region.
She is Arab is a passion venture co-founded by Noha Hefny and Samar Alshorafa, both international development experts with a combined experience of 30 years focused on sustainable development, gender equality and communications.
Noha Hefny, Co-founder, She is Arab, said: “The region is experiencing an unprecedented momentum when it comes to women empowerment. As Arab women we have so much to be proud of in terms of our achievements. She is Arab was born out of our strong belief in the power and capabilities of Arab women. It is our way as entrepreneurs to contribute by creating opportunities for growth and development, driving partnerships and a concerted effort to deliver impact for women. We are presenting a platform by Arab women for Arab women to enhance leadership and participation in every field.”
For her part, Co-founder Samar Alshorafa said: “I have always been passionate about women empowerment, and I believe it is time for Arab women to own the narrative and tell their own story. We need to see inspirational women at all levels, now more than ever; and there is definitely no shortage of talent in and from the region. With She is Arab, we aim to reduce biases towards Arab women and provide them with the support they need to succeed in their respective domains using the power of communications and technology. Our platform will facilitate showcasing their professional expertise to the world and connecting them with the right opportunities. This is how we hope to make a difference.”
As a social enterprise, She is Arab has built itself into a tech platform and business with a powerful social mission to represent and develop Arab women speakers and thought leaders across every sector. It will work to support women on their journey to becoming public speakers, building their personal brand and thought leadership profiles, and offering professional and leadership development opportunities.
Moreover, the company is a proud contributor to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with a primary focus on SDG 5: Gender Equality.
She is Arab aims to leverage a tech-driven expertise mapping process to offer organizations a talented pool of experts that can be matched with professional opportunities globally including speaking, coaching, training and consulting. In parallel, it seeks to establish a strong support network for women to facilitate collaboration, mentorship and networking.
In its first stage, the company is proactively seeking partnerships with private and public sector organizations, media, academic institutions and foundations to enable knowledge creation and dissemination, advance leadership and professional development of women and highlight inspirational role models to inspire the future generation.
She is Arab has set its sights on global expansion beyond the UAE in the coming years, with the aspiration to become the partner of choice for organizations on gender equality and women empowerment and for speakers in the management of their speaking engagements.