Ex-UK PM Theresa May urged women in government to support one another and encourage each other’s aspirations Egyptian Minister Rania Al-Mashat said women have "to open the door for other women to join" DUBAI: Female participation in politics and decision-making is not only essential for effective democratic governance but is also a symbol of hope and inspiration for women of the next generation, the Global Women’s Forum in Dubai heard on Monday. Among the prominent speakers who drove home this message on the second and final day of the conference at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah was Theresa May, who served as the UK’s prime minister from 2016 to 2019. She called on all women in government to support one another and to lead by example. “I would ask every woman in a leadership role, when they leave here, to actively encourage other women to come through and share their experiences,” she said, adding: “When you meet a woman who has aspirations, encourage her.” Drawing on over two decades of experience in British politics, May reflected on the ideal characteristics of female politicians today, advising others in senior roles to be themselves. FASTFACT $12 trillion Potential global GDP increase by 2025 through gender equality advancement. “I wouldn’t say being yourself is a liability or advantage,” she said. “I think it’s important for your own self-esteem and for interactions with others to be yourself and to be true to yourself.” She urged women to “have an open-minded attitude,” and to recognize that they “shouldn’t be pigeonholed into particular stereotypes.” “I did politics in a different way from the men,” she said, adding that while some women felt they had to socialize more with men, she did not. May said: “I did it my way. I was myself — and hey, I became prime minister.” FASTFACT $600 billion Possible MENA countries’ GDP increase by 2025 through gender equality advancement. Besides being only the second woman to hold the post of UK prime minister, May made history in 2002 when she was appointed the first female chair of the Conservative Party. Discussing her time in British politics, she referred to an “unconscious bias” in the processes by which women in government are selected. “Sometimes” a process can, while “not intentionally, play to a man’s strengths rather than a woman’s strengths,” she said. During “our political terms, one of the key things was to ensure that within individual parties, there was no inadvertent bias in the process we used to select women.” In May’s opinion, if young women do not see females in government, politics and senior business positions: “They are less likely to think that these are roles they can aspire too.” She said that, with the launch of her Women2Win network, she has encouraged more women to put their names forward for elected office. FASTFACT 11 Number of women worldwide serving as heads of state as of January 2019, with 10 serving as heads of government as of January 2019. “Getting more women into politics and senior positions in business is an issue for society as a whole,” May said, adding that society would benefit from involving leaders from a wider range of backgrounds and experience in the decision-making process. May said she was focused at present on drawing up new legislation in the UK to tackle the issue of domestic violence. In addition, she said she was building on the efforts that began with the Modern Slavery Act in 2018 to “support the 40 million men, women and children in slavery.” Asked about the legacy she would like to leave behind, May was clear: “I would hope it would encourage young girls to aspire, to feel that there’s no limit to what they can do. “I hope (my legacy) will encapsulate a sense of public service and a sense of wanting to improve the lives of other people. And, also perhaps, a sense of somebody who would champion those who have no voice and need somebody to stand up and speak up for them.” Earlier in the day, a panel of female government leaders, dubbed the “four powerhouses,” took center stage at the forum to share their experiences and efforts to close the gender gap in the Middle East and around the world. Data shows it will take 52 years to achieve gender parity in parliament globally, but the four women, who spoke on “Women leaders in government,” looked at ways to achieve the goal at a much faster pace. “Women’s participation is macro-critical today,” said Rania Al-Mashat, minister of international cooperation of Egypt. “In all institutions, the women element has progressed and added a lot of importance in policy work and the private sector,” she said. Al-Mashat held up her country’s progress in female empowerment, pointing out that 48 million (out of 98 million Egyptians) are women and that 23 million (23 percent of the total population) are supported financially by women. Rania Al-Mashat, minister of international cooperation of Egypt. (Dubai Women Establishment) On the political front, women constitute 25 percent of the Egyptian Cabinet and 19 percent of its parliament, she said. Citing a rise in political and economic empowerment in Egypt, Al-Mashat advised all women in governmental positions in the Arab world to continue their work on changing social perceptions around females in leadership roles by achieving two tasks. “You have to prove yourself in whatever portfolio you are leading, (and) you have to open the door for other women to join,” she said. According to Al-Mashat, women will be among the most “vulnerable” groups during a time where rapid advancements in technology and automation will lead to job displacement and creation of new high-tech roles. As a result, there will be a need to equip women with skill sets and vocational training with a focus on STEM education, she said, referring to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines. Governments need to be “mindful and create that space” for the female population, Al-Mashat said. She also encouraged the use of social media as a modern-day tool that provides women with the means to effectively “communicate,” “inspire” and “lead” others. Mariam Al-Mheiri, the UAE minister of state for food security, described women in leadership positions as “trend-setters,” each with their own unique story on how they had once struggled to prove their capabilities and possibility of achievements. Mariam Al-Mheiri, the UAE minister of state for food security. (Dubai Women Establishment) “We have started a trend and, in continuing down this path, it is really important for all of us to discuss and share these ideas and also to inspire,” she said. For good measure, Al-Mheiri highlighted the importance of debunking misconceptions about women’s role in the workplace. Discussing the role of women in politics, Lana Nusseibah, UAE ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, pointed out that today, less than 10 percent of women are negotiators and mediators in peace and conflict situations. Lana Nusseibah, UAE ambassador and permanent representative to the UN. (Dubai Women Establishment) Women bring a “full-spectrum of considerations” when negotiating a peace settlement, she said. “Peace agreements could last 35 years or more by simply adding women during negotiations on the (negotiating) table, and it’s likely to fail in five years or less if you don’t,” Nusseibah said. Mimoza Kusari Lilsa, a member of parliament from the Republic of Kosovo, underscored the importance of discourse on the success of women at events such as the Global Women’s Forum. Mimoza Kusari Lilsa, a member of parliament from the Republic of Kosovo. (Dubai Women Establishment) Along with “education and accessibility,” these discussions tell girls “there is nothing they can’t do,” she said. Female politicians had “double the responsibility,” according to Lilsa, as they are considered a source of inspiration by many young girls aspiring to go into politics.