Doha News spoke to various speakers at the event, including Lebanon’s Joelle Mardinian and Qatar’s Arafa Alhammadi, about addressing barriers to women’s representation across different sectors.

The 7th edition of the Doha Women Forum wrapped up in the Qatari capital on Saturday, under the theme ‘Invest In Women: The Path For Peace, Security and Inclusion’.

This year’s forum’s array of keynote speakers included women from government affiliated agencies, entrepreneurs, and prominent figures within the creative industry.

Dana Al Fardan, a Qatari composer, singer and songwriter, delivered the opening speech, where she talked about conventional leadership qualities.

“There is a common misconception that women have to take on fundamentally male traits in order to enter the race and actually have a chance at competing,” Al Fardan told the audience. She emphasised that this belief represents a significant loss, as it overlooks the genuine and valuable contributions women can make.

“Traditional traits [in leadership] that are accepted include being decisive,” she said, adding the competitiveness and assertiveness are typically associated as being masculine traits. 

This sentiment was echoed during a later panel discussion about women in power and decision-making positions by Sara Abdulla, a scientific expert at the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council.

“Women lead with warmth,” Abdulla further remarked.

However, Al Fardan added that it is important to pool the unique qualities of both women and men for overall sustainable growth.

“That human impulse to integrate, to serve, to create: that is the basis for growth, and that is the basis for innovation, for progress, and for where we are today,” the Qatari composer said.

Shifting perspectives

Other discussions at this year’s forum included barriers to greater representation of women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

For example, Veronica Bermudez, the Executive Director of Research and Development at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, noted that as she progressed in her career, she increasingly observed fewer women in leadership roles.

“I wouldn’t call [this] a challenge,” she said during the panel discussion. “But, it is something I had to get used to – being the only woman in the room.”

The STEM professional added that despite having worked abroad in countries such as Spain, France and Japan, working within a Qatar Foundation subsidiary was one of the few places where she didn’t feel alone as a woman.

“I think [Qatar Foundation] should speak a little bit more about what they are doing to be an example for others. Not only here [in Qatar], but everywhere,” Bermudez said.

Speaking to Doha News on the sidelines, Arafa Alhammadi, a Qatari Personal and Professional Development Expert, said that she hopes to be at the forefront of creating spaces to tackle the lack of self-confidence among women in terms of professional development.

“Changing our mindset is key – what we see as ‘failure’ might actually be a first step in learning. When facing challenges, it’s important to consider different perspectives and opportunities for growth,” Alhammadi explained.

Qatari men also showed their support at the event, including keynote speaker Ghanim Al Sulaiti, an entrepreneur who called for increased investment in health, wellness, and sustainability to help build a more inclusive local society.

Al Sulaiti told Doha News that while health and wellness are personal pursuits, achieving such goals cannot happen without women’s involvement.

“I want to see companies in Qatar give chances for all people to shine,” he said. “That way, more voices are sharing ideas and solutions. Not only will this create more opportunities just for women, but also people from the society to participate and engage.”

Challenges and efforts

Saturday’s event ended with closing remarks from  Lebanese television host and entrepreneur, Joelle Mardinian, whose eye for fashion and business has garnered her over 21 million followers on Instagram alone.

She shared with the audience how her monumental success as a television presenter took a toll on both her physical and mental health, and the journey she undertook to prioritise her well-being.

“I know a lot of people have been following my career over the past ten, or even 20 years, so, I thought it was important for the audience to hear this side of my story, too,” Mardinian told Doha News.

“If people are left to think that everything’s all rosy, I think it will have the opposite effect and they won’t even try. They might think ‘well, it worked for them because they are lucky’. I want women to know that we are one – we all have struggles but that shouldn’t stop us from achieving,” the Lebanese star said.

She further told Doha News that she is inspired by all women, whether they are public figures to housewives, who try.

“Even if she doesn’t succeed, just by trying, by dreaming, by wanting, that is inspiration,” she remarked.