Regional Storytelling

Regional Storytelling
Project in Partnership with
UNESCO and Issam Fares Institute

Gender stereotyping remains deeply entrenched in our society, particularly when it comes to women’s career choices. Women, in all their diversity, are typically perceived to lack the ability to excel in challenging and leadership roles in fields that are currently male-dominated, such as, and not limited to, STEM, business, and law.

However, many women all around the world have proven to be pioneers in their fields. We collected 20 career stories of influential and inspiring women from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region who thrived in their areas of work, overcoming all challenges.

Are you ready to be inspired?

Maha Jouini, Entrepreneur and Author

Rania Harrara, AFFC Founder

Dr. Joyce Azzam is a mountaineer and academic. She is first Lebanese woman to complete The Seven Summits Challenge, becoming one of the first three women in the Arab World and one of 75 women worldwide to do so.

She accomplished this while completing a Ph.D. in Landscape & Environment Management from the Sapienza Università di Roma as well as two Master of Architecture degrees and one Master's degree in governance and management of local public system.

In this interview, we explore her journey towards completing The Seven Summits Challenge, the challenges of being a female Lebanese athlete, as well as the transition period between being a mountaineer and an academic.

Watch the full interview here.

Dr. Joyce Azzam, Mountaineer

Omnia Gadalla, Lawyer

In 2014, Omnia Gadalla was prevented along with other 2013 female law graduates from applying to the Judicial position in the Egyptian State Council as opposed to their male counterparts. She filed two lawsuits claiming their rights.
As a result, Omnia decided to launch Her Honor Setting the Bar, which is an awareness-righteous initiative, aiming to support female law graduates and ending discrimination that bans Egyptian women from being judges.

Not only does the initiative believe in the importance of having women judges, but also in the importance of strengthening the rule of law, impartiality, and independence of the judicial authorities.

Omnia Gadalla is an Egyptian lawyer and instructor of Law and Sharia at Al-Azhar University whose passion for law and justice is unbeatable.

Rana Husseini, Journalist and Author

Dr. Mona Demaidi, Entrepreneur

Dr. Mona Demaidi recalls when she returned to Palestine in 2016 to teach in university, she was shocked when she received no applications to the scholarships offered to female students that covered the fees to attend the Arab Women in Computing Conference in Lebanon.

She believes that more awareness and trust are needed. In order for females to actually travel outside by themselves to work on enhancing their skills, we need to create trust and raise awareness on what such opportunities offer these young women.

After organizing a couple of activities, Dr. Demaidi was happy to have received scholarship applications to attend a conference in Morocco.

Dr. Mona Demaidi is an entrepreneur. She obtained her Ph.D. in Advanced Software Engineering and Machine Learning, and MSc in Software Engineering and Data Management from University of Manchester. Dr. Demaidi joined An-Najah National University to become the youngest female with a Ph.D. at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology in Palestine.