DUBAI: Meta has launched the second edition of its annual #SheCreates initiative, this time celebrating 30 women from across the MENA region.
Last year, the e-book shone the spotlight on women who had overcome unforeseen challenges during the pandemic. This year, it celebrates women from all areas who have used their entrepreneurial and leadership skills to build careers, businesses and communities.
Among the women recognized are Jomana Al-Rashid, CEO of Saudi Research and Media Group; Caroline Faraj, vice president of CNN and head of Arabic services; and Mina Al-Oraibi, the Iraqi-British editor-in-chief of The National.
They all shared their challenges, learnings and advice in the e-book in the hope they might help to inspire the next generation of female leaders.
Al-Rashid wrote: “As a journalist, I was driven by the importance of telling our own stories; as a media adviser, I was motivated to open doors for those who were often overlooked; and now as CEO of SRMG, I am using our regional reach and global status to guarantee that a new generation of voices are empowered and enabled.”
Al-Oraibi wrote: “I knew I wanted to be a journalist from when I was at school, but I chose to study history to understand how our past shapes our future.”
Derya Matras, Meta’s vice president for Africa, Middle East and Turkey, said: “Today’s women and those who identify as women experience a myriad of unparalleled challenges — the glass ceiling, the unconscious bias and the unrelenting expectation to care for others.
“I am incredibly proud to launch the book’s second edition, shining a much-needed spotlight on the incredible women from the MENA region who are making a real difference, creating change, breaking down barriers, and redefining what’s possible across all professions, sectors and industries.”
The book was designed by Nourane Owais, the founder of Rejiggers creative agency and Courtyard 66 studios in Cairo.
It is available for download here.
