In the run-up to the annual Emirates Businesswomen Award (EBWA), organizers Dubai Quality Group (DQG), along with the main sponsor Shell, conducted recently a workshop at Karisma Ladies Centre, Dubai to familiarise women and prospective applicants about the goals and objectives, eligibility criteria and rules of application for the fourth edition of the prestigious Award to be held in May 2006.
Speaking at the workshop, Samia Al Yousif, Manager of Dubai Quality Group said: “Duly recognising women’s contribution in business and the professions will motivate more women to exploit their entrepreneurial and managerial talents. The Emirates Businesswomen Award has become one of the most prestigious awards for the country’s women, and it is encouraging to see the forthcoming 2006 edition eliciting so much response.”
“Since its inception, Dubai Quality Group has pursued quality initiatives aimed at the socio-economic progress of Dubai. When Shell offered to patron Emirates Businesswomen Award, DQG immediately accepted the offer and has been working hard to involve the country’s businesswomen and professionals, in this initiative. With every passing year, the number of applicants for EBWA has increased and the winners have become shining stars of the UAE’s business and professional community,” Al Yousif added.
The organisers have urged businesswomen and women professionals of all nationalities to submit their entries for EBWA 2006, which recognises women’s contribution in the UAE’s professional and business fields. The gathering was addressed by the winner of EBWA 2004, Dr. Dorothy Fernandes, a well-known Indian specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist based in Dubai.
Dr. Fernandes spoke of her experiences over a 25-year long career in the demanding world of medicine that began with her graduating from one of India’s premier medical institutions with a gold medal in surgery, and took her to prestigious medical institutions in her native land, in the United Kingdom and in the United Arab Emirates. “Follow your heart and specialise in a field that your heart desires. Pursue your goal with a passion and work hard, at the same time giving equal importance to your family,” she told the gathering.
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Head of External Affairs and HSSE (Health, Safety, Security and Environment), Shell said, “With each year EBWA has grown in popularity and scope, with more and more UAE women entering the professions and becoming entrepreneurs. Participating in the award will enable women to showcase their abilities and allow them to benefit from their interaction with fellow participants.”
“Shell’s continued support of the EBWA is driven by its global corporate philosophy that gives priority to the empowerment of women. The award is particularly relevant in the UAE, a country that epitomises the region’s entrepreneurial and industrious spirit that is manifest in the expertise of its professionals and its flourishing business enterprises,” Mahmoudi added.
These gatherings are part of Shell and DQG’s joint awareness campaign across the UAE to motivate women entrepreneurs and professionals to bid for the award. These workshops also informed potential applicants about the benefits coming to them from winning the Award, the networking opportunities it would provide enabling them to broaden both their horizons and their business contacts.
Judith Barton, Chief Assessor for the award and Managing Consultant of The Development Partnership, said: “The Emirates Businesswomen Award was instituted in order to recognise and celebrate the vital role that women in the UAE play in both the business and professional spheres. The award has served as a platform for women to inspire and encourage others, including future generations of women, to achieve their full potential.”
The EBWA 2006 will be awarded in two categories--Business Owners and Professionals—and applicants will be decided on the criterion of leadership; future goals and financial performance; business, professional and career achievements; community contributions; and participation and innovation in their respective fields.
The workshop was part of Shell and DQG’s awareness campaign across the UAE that ends this month. The deadline for submitting applications is March 4 and candidates will be short-listed by the end of March. The final assessment by the jury will be done in May in time for the grand award ceremony to be held later that month.
