A New International Accomplishment for Bahraini Women: Ms. Safa Sharif Abdulkhaliq & Ms. Shaikha Al Fadhel First Women Selected from the GCC Region for Prestigious International Leadership Programme

Representing the strong catalyst of women entrepreneurship in economic development, Ms. Safa Sharif Abdulkhaliq, Chief Executive Officer of Export Bahrain, and Ms. Shaikha Al Fadhel, Director of SME’s Development at Ministry of Industry and Commerce, are proudly the only two women selected from the GCC region for the first time for the prestigious CIPE-Stanford University’s Leadership Academy for Development Programme.

Being the first women to have represented the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC region in the programme, is a prestigious honour and a true testament of the advancement of the Kingdom in building a more inclusive community.

Ms. Abdulkhaliq and Ms. Al Fadhel were joined by 11 other women from the MENA region at the CIPE-Stanford University’s Leadership Academy for Development Programme. The primary focus of the training was ‘The Role of Public Policy in Private Sector Development’, consisting of expert lectures, case analysis, group projects, and a critical analysis of real-life case studies – all made with an emphasis on interaction and learning amongst participants of the programme. Participants were also required to play the position of real-life policymakers who face difficult decisions with multiple constraints.

On the occasion, Ms. Safa Sharif Abdulkhaliq, Chief Executive Officer of Export Bahrain, said: “It is a tremendous honour to have been selected for this programme. I’ve had the opportunity to witness and learn in depth of how public policy helps play an essential role in addressing societal challenges, including fostering economic and private sector development, how policy is developed and carried out and how effective it is in meeting critical and complex challenges. The programme provided key insights to help acquire the necessary skills for using public policy to address development challenges. It also addressed ways in which public policy can help navigate the private sector in becoming a constructive force for economic development.”

For her part, Ms. Shaikha Al Fadhel, Director of SMEs Development at Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: “The Kingdom of Bahrain has seen to be amongst the forefront in empowering women and encouraging them to reach new heights in a professional environment. Whilst public sector leaders are central to public policy, finding and implementing solutions to development and other public problems is not just a matter for government, but involves the public sector, private business sector, and civil society as a whole. The programme shed important light and attention of how different sectors can work together to bring about a positive change and how the civil society leaders can help effectively engage in the policy process.”