Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA) and Honorary Chairperson of the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), has participated in the opening ceremony of the Sharjah Business Women Forum in London, UK.

Organised by NAMA in collaboration with Arab International Women's Forum and held at the capital city’s Royal Automobile Club, the forum was established as a platform to discuss ways of strengthening joint cooperation between British and Emirati businesswomen and entrepreneurs. Among those attending were HE Ameera BinKaram, Deputy Chairperson of NAMA and Chairperson of SBWC; Alya Al Mazroui, Wife of the United Arab Emirates Ambassador in United Kingdom; Dr. Afnan Al Shuaibi, Secretary General and CEO of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce; Haifa Al Kaylani, Founder Chairperson of the Arab International Women's Forum and Noura Al Noman, Chairperson of the Executive Office of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi. Also in attendance were members of SBWC and over 200 business women from across various sectors in the UK and UAE.

“The UAE has always stressed the importance of empowering and supporting women out of its belief in the vital role they play in contributing to the advancement of the community. Women are essential partners and play a crucial role in building the state, and achieving the comprehensive sustainable development. We will continue to provide them with all forms of support to enhance their involvement in public life, and create more achievements that will be added to the UAE’s record of accomplishments,” said Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi.

“At NAMA we strive to build and nurture women's capabilities and elevate their achievements, continuing the vision and efforts of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation. These efforts have yielded the results we see in all Emirati women today. They now have greater ambition, the ability to highlight their innovation and creativity and the skills to overcome any obstacle,” added Her Highness.

Her Highness invited the British business women and entrepreneurs to visit Sharjah and learn more about the emirate's pioneering experience and efforts advancing women in the economic sector. Her Highness said: "Sharjah offers ideal investment and business opportunities, and its business market is characterized by the having a large and stimulating investment facilities. We emphasize that British businesswomen have great opportunity to forge strategic partnerships with the Sharjah Business Women, to launch joint development projects which are beneficial for both of them."

Held for the second consecutive year, the SBW Forum in London featured two discussion panels on ways to empower women and strengthen their role in economic and social life. The event enabled participants to outline their experiences in the field of entrepreneurship and highlighted the successes they have achieved with their own businesses. Attendees praised the generous patronage that Sharjah's businesswomen enjoy from His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah and the great support they receive from his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, which has greatly contributed to strengthening the position of Sharjah as an attractive investment emirate and one that encourages women to enter into the world of entrepreneurship.

The first panel discussion featured Sheikha Hind Majid Al Qasimi, designer of ‘Designed by Hind’ and ‘Collection of Porcelain’, UAE; HE. Alia Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Member of Abu Dhabi Business Women Council and Chief Operating Officer Co-Founder of Just Falafel, UAE and Noor Saab, Designer and Founder of ‘Noor Saab’ in London, UK.

The second panel discussion saw the participation of Ms. Amal Ibrahim Al Ali, Coach & Corporate Trainer, Founder and CEO of Cardif Management Consultants, UAE; Ms. Heba Khairallah Al Emara, UK Head of Relations – EMEA Orangefield Group in London, UK; Ms. Sarah Almadani, Founder of Rouge Couture, Fashion Designer & Entrepreneur, UAE; Dr. Zanubia Daud Shams, Co-Chairperson Zuleikha Healthcare Group, UAE.

HE Ameera BinKaram used her attendance at the forum to review the business environment in Sharjah and the facilities and services offered by the emirate to businesswomen and entrepreneurs. She highlighted the most important projects and activities carried out by NAMA and the entities and initiatives that fall under its umbrella to enhance the emirate’s business environment for women.

BinKaram pointed to the strong relationship between Sharjah and the UK and reiterated that the main goal of the forum was to attract British businesswomen who are looking for opportunities in various fields in the Middle East. She stressed the forum’s role as a platform to exchange views, identify needs and facilitate partnerships between UAE businesswomen and their counterparts in the UK, saying that it was an important annual event that facilitates the building of long-term business relationships between the two countries.

Haifa Al Kaylani, Founder Chairperson of the Arab International Women's Forum, revealed statistics from a recent global study found that entrepreneurs who are committed to launching innovative projects provide double the number of business opportunities than their counterparts who launch conventional projects and that they are likely to have 95% better chance to promote their business in their second year. She praised the efforts of HH Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi supporting and empowering

women in the field of entrepreneurship and her keenness to eliminate any obstacle that hinders their advancement in the field of business and entrepreneurship.

“Sheikha Jawaher's efforts are not just limited to supporting women in Sharjah and the UAE, they extend to female entrepreneurs in other countries through the Sharjah Business Women Council. The council works to provide them with the necessary resources to succeed to establish successful business relationships and networks that enable them achieve greater expansion and growth,” she said.

The SBWC Forum in London included the showing of a short documentary featuring the achievements of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi in the field of women's empowerment and the significant role she has in enhancing women’s status in society.

Following the conclusion of the forum, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi attended the Arab International Women's Forum luncheon that was organized in honour of Her Highness. The luncheon saw the presence of a number of Arab and European Ambassadors wives in the United Kingdom and London businesswomen.