Women in Middle East & North Africa

Leading the way to empowerment

Welcome

WiMENA puts women centre stage by promoting their voice as part of the mainstream economy.

WiMENA is a network reflecting the aspirations of women today. As a business-to-business network we use our platform to challenge gender inequalities; discuss the problems, develop concepts, policies and solutions and inspire change through collaboration and influence.

In partnership with

Partnership

Supporting Organisations

About us

About us

WiMENA is primarily a business-to-business network, promoting issues on a sector-by-sector basis, by putting women centre stage and promoting their voice as part of the mainstream economy.

WiMENA is born out of our prestigious ground-breaking initiative Women in Business, and is a network reflecting the aspirations of women today. We use our platform to challenge gender inequalities; discuss the problems, develop concepts, policies and solutions and inspire change through collaboration and influence.

The language may have altered but the issues remain the same. While Women in Business fulfilled many of its policy objectives as accepted policy norms by UK and international governments; WiMENA builds on these foundations as it promotes and encourages business-to-business networking and the exchange of knowledge and skills between women from the UK and the Middle East and the wider international business community.

WiMENA is driven by a commitment not only to encourage women to access commercial opportunities for themselves or for the businesses they represent, but also to ensure that they are not marginalised across all sectors of business and society.

WiMENA works strategically with public organisations, the private sector and international governments.

Sports

Women in Sport

Sport is widely accepted as providing a platform for building wider social and economic change. Specifically, it is a woman’s participation in sport, at any level, that can play a part in breaking down gender stereotypes. Playing a sport contributes to building self-esteem and confirms invaluable lessons for self-worth for women and young girls. The importance of highlighting and sharing stories of women, working and participating in all aspects of sport – from community to professional sports – is crucial to increasing the participation of women across the sporting industry and leading the way to empowerment.

Event

CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB LONDON SW6
6TH JUNE 2024

Event

The events commitment in partnership with the Arab British Chamber of Commerce is to encourage women to access commercial opportunities for themselves or businesses they represent.

The one-day symposium will cover:

• Increasing women’s access to sports

• Sport as a messenger of gender equality

• Leading from the front – sporting role models

• Securing sponsorship

• Talent development

• Emotional and mental wellbeing

• Sport and the technology sector

• Commercial opportunities

• Country focus – Saudi Arabia

WHY ATTEND?

– Gain an insight into the strategies for fostering gender equality in the GCC

– Exchange knowledge and skills while networking with your peers, mentors and experts who share your passion for women’s empowerment in the sports sector

– Learn from the experiences of renowned women who have broken barriers in the sporting industry as athletes, coaches, brand managers or agents of change

– Network to build business relations to benefit commercial opportunities.

THE VENUE

The iconic Chelsea Football Club at Stamford Bridge in London has seen many sporting and footballing firsts. The current Chelsea Women’s Football Team is setting the standards for women’s football in the UK and around the world.

Chelsea FC will be the host venue for the inaugural WiMENA – Women in Sport event.

Event Speakers

Ticket Prices

ABCC Member: £150

General Admission: £200

Registration is now open, to secure your place

Click here

Registration

Agenda

Agenda

09:15 Opening Session – Keynote Address

SPORT AS A MESSENGER OF GENDER EQUALITY

Sport is widely accepted as providing a platform for building wider social and economic change. Specifically, it is women’s participation in sport, at all levels, that can play a part in breaking down gender stereotypes, acting as a catalyst for promoting gender equality in society.

10:00 Panel Session (1)

TALENT DEVELOPMENT: UNLOCKING SPORTING POTENTIAL

Education-centred programming and opportunities are the foundation of the strategy in developing a talent pool for women in sports. Giving access to existing sports facilities in the GCC will provide the benefit of immediate training opportunities. Sports federations in the region can be proactive by partnering grassroots programmes for women and girls and ensuring that emotional support is part of the programme.

11:00 -11:30 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK

11:30 Panel Session (2)

SPORTING ROLE MODELS: SETTING THE BAR FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

The importance of highlighting and sharing stories of women, working and participating in all aspects of sport, from community sports to professional sports, is crucial to increasing their participation. These mentors through their success, inspire young women to dream what is not the impossible. But sport isn’t just winning medals; it breaks down barriers, helps in life skills, and motivates people to do other things. These women inspire the aspiring girls of tomorrow.

12:30 Panel Session (3)

TECHNOLOGY IN SPORT

Technology is ever-changing, and the sporting arena needs to be digitally protected from grassroots through to professional levels. Safeguarding is essential in every sport. This panel will take an in-depth look at combatting this. We will also uncover research on online bullying and how technology can play a part.

13:15-14:15 NETWORKING LUNCH

14:30 Panel Session (4)

SPORTS TOURISM: THE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Given the greater resources for talent empowerment for women in sports, the sector is a growth area for investment. The GCC is committed to huge investment in sports per se which provides commercial opportunities for all. Whether you are involved in construction of stadia from design to fit-out in every detail; or involved in training and education for the hospitality sector; or involved in catering to entertainment, the region represents a fast growth area.

15:45

COUNTRY FOCUS: SAUDI ARABIA’S SPORTING WORLD

Saudi Arabia has boldly set out a Sports World in its Vision 2030. One of the results of this will be in the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2034. Along the road to 2034, Saudi Arabia is committed to building on its sporting achievements, not only in football but across the breadth of the sporting world. Saudi Sport is currently investing US$7 billion towards a target of US$60 billion just for the sports sector; which is equivalent to 3% of the Saudi GDP target. This figure does not include the trillion-dollar budget for NEOM, recreational areas, parks and the supporting infrastructure. Explore the opportunities welcomed in Saudi Arabia to realise the 2030 vision for the sporting world.

17:00 Networking Reception

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