As we celebrate the 106th annual International Women’s Day this Saturday, March 8th, we have an opportunity to applaud some of the accomplishments, successes, and milestones of women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Today, women in the MENA are increasingly occupying senior positions, even in traditionally male-dominated roles and industries. We have seen psychological barriers to entry in certain professions being rendered a thing of the past as women in the MENA show they are willing and able to train for, enter and succeed in all professions. Women in the MENA are graduating with honors from top educational institutions in a wide variety of fields and feeling more and more free and able to pursue their own unique dreams, and achieve career satisfaction, growth and success on par with men. Here’s a look at some interesting insights about women in the MENA that should inspire you: 1. Results from the Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Job Index Survey, August 2013, indicate that hiring in the MENA is almost never based on nationality or gender, but rather on a candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience. Results from Bayt.com research show that employees with qualifications in business management (28%), engineering (25%), and commerce (21%) are most in demand, while the most desirable skills are the ability to communicate well in both English and Arabic (50%), the ability to be a team player (48%), and having good leadership skills (47%). Candidates with experience in managing a team (42%), computer skills (31%), and sales and marketing (27%) are also sought after. 2. Bayt.com’s survey on ‘The Status of Working Women in the MENA’, June 2012, shows that 51% of women in the MENA region did not feel discriminated against in a job interview. Another 56% of them stated that women and men are treated equally in their organization, while 40% said that chances of being promoted are seen to be more dependent on one’s performance than gender. The survey also shows that 70% of women in the MENA feel that workplace equality in their country is at par with Western economies. 3. Women on Bayt.com are professionals working in all fields and at all career levels, from entry to senior executive level depending on their qualifications, experience, objectives and relevant skills. Women are always very well represented in the managerial and senior executive recruitment activity that takes place on Bayt.com and this is representative of the nature of the recruitment market in the MENA where women find they are competing for the same jobs as men and are very often getting them. 4. Women are very well represented in all industries including traditional male-dominated ones. There are many women entrepreneurs achieving great success in all fields; there are many women playing leading roles in the largest local, regional and multinational corporations; women are helping and mentoring other women and easing their way up the career ladder.
