SDG 5: Gender Equality
women's access schemes
Women's access schemes
Kuwaiti women have long been recognized as pioneers with a voice in social, political, intellectual, and cultural fields, throughout the country's history. The first Arab woman president of a university was from Kuwait at the Kuwait University, and women who have served as editors-in-chief of major newspapers, magazines, and multi-media outlets. Due to recent efforts and success in appointing female judges for the first time in Kuwait’s history, more women are pursuing careers as public prosecutors and more women lawyers are emerging. All these steps that Kuwait has taken to support and empower women in a variety of fields as part of its implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5.
Economic growth in Kuwait cannot be achieved without the full economic empowerment of women. This is one reason why the World Bank Kuwait Country Engagement Framework (CEF), which was recently approved by the Kuwaiti government in August 2021, includes a stand-alone Gender Engagement Framework, which mandates that all advisory services provided by the World Bank in Kuwait be viewed through a gender lens. The CEF will support a cross-cutting approach to increasing women's economic opportunities and will work to create an environment that is conducive to their employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership as well as their advancement in the workplace. The World Bank- Kuwait Gender Engagement Framework, is the first of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
In addition, Kuwait has been prioritizing women's economic empowerment in other key policy instruments, such as the new national plan for Kuwait called Vision 2035/New Kuwait. Kuwait's "New Kuwait" development strategy aims to transform the country into a regional financial, cultural, and institutional pioneer by 2035. It is built on five strategic axes and seven pillars: public administration, economy, infrastructure, living environment, healthcare, human capital, and global position. The Government of Kuwait aims to boost women’s engagement in the labor market under the Creative Human Capital pillar, in alignment with Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality. Vision 2035 aspires to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy by empowering the private sector to serve as the primary engine of growth. To achieve this goal, equal opportunity for men and women must be provided in order for both to be effective contributors to the vision.
Furthermore, as part of the SDG 5 program of the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, and in collaboration with the Kuwait University Women's Research and Studies Center, UN Women, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Women's Empowerment Program (WEP) initiative in Kuwait was launched. The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of guidelines for businesses on how to advance gender equality and women's empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. They were developed by the United Nations Global Compact and UN Women. This initiative is geared toward the private sector and includes several companies. Its mission is to accelerate the implementation of Kuwait's new Vision 2035 by increasing the representation of women in leadership positions. In 2021, 14 new private sector companies committed to the WEPs to better diversify their workplace and promote women’s employment, bringing the total number of companies who adhere to these principles to 44.
And to further support these gender reform efforts, the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Planning and Development formed the Women's Affairs and Business Committee in May 2021 with the mandate of boosting women’s economic empowerment. Since its inception, the Committee has focused on increasing women’s participation in the workplace. It played a pivotal role in pushing through reforms in October 2021 to mandate non-discrimination based on gender in employment and to prohibit and criminalize sexual harassment at the workplace, in collaboration with the World Bank’s Business Regulations for Gender Equity Advisory team under the National Jobs Strategy Project.
While obstacles such as occupational segregation, a low female labor force participation rate, and social norms that restrict women's access to economic opportunity do still exist, there are also many opportunities to open the door for greater economic inclusion of Kuwaiti women. The above-mentioned significant steps already taken by Kuwait are a sign that the country means business, and other countries in the region can take note of these different multi-layered approaches in their plans to empowering women.
AUM supports the importance of the role of women in development to invest her energies and activating her essential role at the local and international levels, and thus supporting women empowerment
AUM graduate, Ghanima Al-Asfoor, is an intern at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
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We congratulate our students Suad Al-Othman and Kawthar Fadlallah from the Industrial Engineering major at AUM for winning the first place in the IEOM International Competition 🥇
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Whether in sports, art, engineering, technology, or business! Our students and graduates shine in various fields... and you can... Happy New Year
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Female student one of the promising leaders in the field of space
We are proud of our student Lama Al-Ariman ✨🚀🛰
AUM student Lama Al-Ariman was selected among 30 male and female students worldwide as one of the promising leaders in the field of space 🧑🏽🚀 by the International Astronautical Federation for her efforts in spreading awareness and encouraging young men and women to enter the field of space.
Lama received a scholarship to attend the 73rd International Conference on Astronautics in Paris, which is the most important annual event in the field of space, which all space agencies, government agencies and institutions, and private companies operating in the field of space are keen to attend.
His Highness the Deputy Emir and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives Lama Al-Ariman
• On the occasion of receiving the Rising Space Leaders Award presented by the International Astronautically Federation as a representative of the State of Kuwait in this global competition
#THEMENA Summit 2022 - Kuwait welcomed HRH Dr. Maha Bint Mishari Al Saud today at the panel discussion “Leadership reflections: How can we successfully bridge the gap between policy, institution and industry?”
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) by organizing various events for students, faculty, and staff.
The University joined the global movement of breaking the bias, which resulted in faculty and staff striking the “break the bias” pose to show solidarity and help advance gender equality worldwide. In addition, faculty and staff watched the empowering movie “Hidden Figures” at the AUM Cinema inside the Library.
On the other hand, the campus community engaged in various events, which saw students engaging in interactive activities related to women’s day by the lake, enjoying the performance of an all-female band, and watching a movie related to female historical figures.
Computer 💻 through the students' innovative project -
Al-Juri Al-Sharhan
Retaj Al-Qattan
to sign up:
Chemical 🧪👩🏻🔬 through the innovative project for students -
Rawan Al-Talihi
Mary Spring
Zahraa Mohammed
to sign up:
https://admission.aum.edu.kw/ApplyNow
From the interview of graduate Shaden Al-Mubarak 🎤
A success story that started at AUM ✨
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From the interview of graduate Batool Al-Awadi 🎤
A success story that started at AUM ✨
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Bodour Nakas
Fatima Al Balushi
Heba Al-Awadi
Laura Ibrahim
Maryam Idris
Zainab Ahmed
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Khadija Qutbuddin
Lulwa Al-Askar
Retaj Malallah
Sondos Al-Qallaf
Dana bin Nasser
Ahed Al Hajji
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The American University of the Middle East (AUM) concluded its AUM Startup Challenge 2022 by organizing an event at the Cultural Center on February 21, 2022.
The event was attended by faculty, staff, students, and special guest Mr. Jamie Kendrioski, Director of the Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education, who joined virtually.
The AUM Startup Challenge is the first phase of the Babson Global Student Challenge and results in three winning teams competing in the semi-finals and finals along with other participating universities from more than 16 countries from all over the world. AUM’s annual organization of the AUM Startup Challenge and its engagement in Babson’s Global Student Challenge comes as part of the university’s efforts to expose students further to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and challenge them to think of these goals in the context of business opportunities.
The event started with an exhibition where 25 teams of students who have been working on their business idea for months participated with a dedicated booth and explained to attendees about their project and how it helps advance one or more of the SDGs.
A jury comprising of subject matter experts from AUM faculty voted for the top six teams based on specific rubrics. All attendees also had the chance to vote for the best three teams.
Following the exhibition, the elected six teams presented their ideas on stage and the top three were selected by the jury.
The team that ranked first, second, and third were awarded 5,000 KWD, 3,000 KWD, and 1,500 KWD, respectively, as part of AUM’s support to help them turn their startup idea into reality.
At the end of the event, Mr. Jamie Kendrioski delivered a speech where he congratulated all the participating teams and talked about the collaborations between AUM and Babson. “Babson and AUM share a belief that entrepreneurship is not only about starting a business but is also a mindset applicable to any industry that when put to its best use truly can advance social, economic, and environmental causes, and change the world,” Kendrioski said as part of his speech.
Kendrioski also announced that the winning team of the Babson Global Student challenge will receive a scholarship to attend “Babson Build”, an immersive and experiential one-week-long entrepreneurship program that takes place at Babson in the United States in July. Participants join a global cohort of peers, experience Babson’s unique ecosystem, and learn to think and act more entrepreneurially.
Kendrioski concluded his speech with a special announcement on behalf of the American University of the Middle East that the team from AUM that reaches the finals will receive a scholarship to attend Babson Build.
AUM's fundamental goal is to impact the community by creating a new generation of leaders who are prepared to shape the future. To achieve this, AUM offers various incentives for men and women to join its campus. Therefore, the university offers all women who wish to access the campus the freedom to participate in different sports, research, art, and cultural activities, among others. This will allow its female students to develop skills that will benefit their future.
The Human Resources Department is dedicated to attracting and retaining the best talent worldwide by offering an exceptional work environment, professional growth opportunities, competitive packages, and state-of-the-art facilities. With faculty and staff from 60 different countries, a campus is a place that welcomes diversity, innovation, and engagement. Among these professionals are many female faculty members who bring their expertise to the university's students. These faculty members work in the various programs offered by AUM.
AUM is staffed by women, including Ms. Atika Dairi, academic council member and director of student affairs, responsible for university policies on student and community affairs. She promotes student welfare, integration, and equity with the university community.
AUM Staff Supporting Initiatives
AUM University takes pride in its commitment to supporting all staff and employees, regardless of gender, with a non-discriminatory approach. The university recognizes that the growth and development of its workforce are fundamental to its success. AUM invests in its employees by providing various programs and workshops designed to enhance their educational and professional skills. These initiatives include training opportunities, career development programs, and skill-building workshops. By fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment that values the potential of all its staff, AUM ensures that men and women alike have access to resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the university.
In a concerted effort to enhance safety measures and promote a culture of safety in academic laboratory environments, a group of dedicated faculty and staff members at AUM completed the Certificate Program in Academic Laboratory Safety during February. The program was organized by AUM Staff Development Department in partnership with Dar Al Shifaa Hospital, with the objective of equipping participants with the most effective health and safety practices tailored for laboratory settings.
Participants acquired and upgraded their essential knowledge and skills to detect and mitigate risks, identify hazardous materials, and ensure safe evacuation procedures, aligned with AUM Safety and Emergency guidelines and procedures. The completion of this program marks a significant achievement in promoting a culture of safety in laboratory environments, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 3: Good health and well-being and SGD 4: Quality education.
On Thursday, 13th of October 2022, a Certificate Award Ceremony was organized by the Staff Development Department at AUM to celebrate the FCD participants on the occasion of completing the certificate/training program.
As of mid-November 2021, a selective number of faculty and staff members at AUM enrolled in the “NCDA Facilitating Career Development (FCD) Certificate/Training Program” of the National Career Development Association (NCDA), the premier provider of professional development in the career field, based in United States.
During the sessions, participants have been equipped with career development core competencies to better assist students and graduates in planning their careers, and also support the processes of the Tawteen Career Center.
AUM is always keen to build capacities of faculty, staff and students and upgrade its community members’ professional and soft skills.
