The American Space at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) hosted a roundtable seminar, organized by the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC), under the title: “New Horizons for Women in Innovation”. The seminar examined the role of women in spurring innovation in various sectors, the policies and initiatives required in this regard, as well as the role of governmental programs and civil society organizations. The seminar also delved into the role of educational institutions in fostering women’s potential for innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
“The empowerment of women is key to growth and advancement,” stated the Chair of the Women Group at IBBC, Eng. Ghadeer Haider, who moderated a discussion among an elite group of women who hold leadership positions in various governmental administrations and institutions of both the public and private sectors. Among these were Member of Parliament, Dr. Ghada Al-Shammari, Advisor on Civil Society Affairs at the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, Ms. Sara Ayad Allawi, Manager of Women’s Affairs Department at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Nada Al-Aabidi, Vice President of Scientific Affairs and Postgraduate Studies at the University of Technology, Prof. Khawla Salah Khashan, in addition to the Dean of the College of International Studies at AUIB, Dr. Elizabeth Bishop. IBBC Senior Advisor and former British Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Jonathan Wilks, also attended the seminar.
The seminar addressed the issue of supporting women and realizing their creative potential across various sectors of the economy from a broad perspective, covering the current state of the Iraqi economy, government policies, and public-private partnerships, as well as issues like women’s working conditions and employment standards, down to the micro-level, such as the challenge of balancing family life with a professional career. In discussing the role of women and their prospects in spurring creativity in the technology sector—a topic that occupied a significant portion of the debate—the participants called for increased government support for technological research, particularly research led by women. This comes in light of the current state of the country’s industrial sector, which is a key partner to higher education institutions and research centers in developing technology, as it holds a significant stake in the matter.