Breaking the glass ceiling

Working women can often face a challenge when rising through the ranks of corporate hierarchy. Dealing with the pressures of the corporate world and balancing family life can be tough, given the task of delivering results on time.

Published: Tue 26 Feb 2013, 9:27 AM

Updated: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 4:30 AM

By
Muaz Shabandri

Experts and women achievers from the UAE discussed the issue of breaking the ‘glass-ceiling’ at this year’s Women’s Lunchbox event hosted by Murdoch University.

Taking a close look at the challenges faced by women in the UAE, panelists discussed the growing role of women in UAE businesses and how emphasis on improving legislation had supported the development of women in UAE’s workplaces.

President of Dubai Business Women Council Raja Al Gurg delivered the keynote address saying: “There is a misperception about women in the Muslim world which needs to be changed. A lot of people look at women wearing Hijab as non-educated and non-social. This misperception needs to change because women here are also achievers.”

She added: “Self-belief is the most important thing for any woman. We should believe in ourselves to achieve. Being passionate and assertive while having a determination can help any woman get through senior positions at work.”

Her comments set the stage for a debate on how a generation-gap nullified the concept of the ‘glass-ceiling’ in today’s society. Excerpts from the debate are presented below:

What is the Lunchbox event?

 The Women’s Lunchbox event is Murdoch University’s unique initiative catering exclusively to women for learning, business networking, and sharing of ideas. In an endeavour to encourage women to advance in leadership roles by developing key competencies, Murdoch University in Dubai offered a Dh10,000 fee waiver to applicants applying for their postgraduate courses at the event.