2ND & 3RD OF DECEMBER 2020

4th Equal Opportunities
Conference

Under the patronage of H.E. Fawzia Bint Abdulla Zainal Speaker of council of Representatives.

It is our honor to invite you to the Fourth Conference on Equal Opportunities

CALL FOR PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS

4th Equal Opportunities Conference

The emergence of Covid19 and the resultant public health crisis has brought societal inequalities into sharp relief. How different countries have chosen to respond is not only shaping the current moment but is also having a crucial impact on the shape of the future; on who has access to vital resources and who is denied. This year’s conference will focus on the way in which the global pandemic is shaping our collective futures in new and unexpected ways and what that means to the ongoing objective of equal opportunities. More specifically how has and how should activity in the fields of health, education, law and business respond to what might be considered a pivotal moment that will set the direction and economic & social impacts for the coming decades. Decades in which responses to climate change, public health crises and economic imperatives must find a way to align with each other. What can be learnt from responses in health, education, law and business that serve to advance the objectives of equal opportunities? What must we do to avoid losing ground and ensure that the drive to maintain and build more equal opportunities and equitable futures continues unabated? We invite you to submit 15-20 minute papers and presentations which explore specific elements of these broad questions.

Welcome Messages

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

It gives me great pleasure to announce that we are holding The Fourth Conference on Equal Opportunities in "Health, Education, Law and Business.” We are absolutely ecstatic to conduct this conference under the patronage of Her Excellency Mrs. Fawzia Bint Abdulla Zainal, the Speaker of the Council of Representatives, whose renown, as a pioneer in the cause of women’s empowerment, is widely acknowledged and recognized in the Arabian Gulf region and far beyond. Under her stewardship, the Council of Representatives indefatigably tackles and relentlessly drives women’s empowerment as part and parcel of its wider stimulation and development of communities and organizations as a core element of what uncontrovertibly ranks as society’s most important social cause.

This conference, organized jointly by Ahlia University and Brunel University London, is inspired by our mission to move forward the frontiers of human knowledge and to elevate the social and living standards of society. It is a demonstration of our core values in action and exemplifies our commitment to scholarship across various academic fields and disciplines.

The theme "Health, Education, Law and Business" was carefully selected as it goes to the heart of a transcendental and transformational issue of paramount salience in the world today; namely, women’s empowerment and female participation in human capital development. Promoting equal opportunity engenders benefits of far-reaching consequences – be they economic, social or otherwise -- impacting all aspects of society.

We are proud of, and heartened by, the path-breaking activities of the Supreme Council for Women under the leadership and guidance of H. R. H. Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim AI Khalifa in furtherance of women’s empowerment. Given these efforts, it is unsurprising that the Kingdom of Bahrain has emerged as an unparalleled leader in equality between men and women. Using a cross-section of the latest scholarly methods, we accordingly strive to highlight and to reflect on the good practice evinced in the sphere of women’s empowerment in Bahrain. Moreover, the conference includes empirical studies about “Health, Education, Law and Business” in Bahrain involving a set of workshops employing cutting-edge methods in the field,

Finally, I offer my thanks to all the contributors of the conference and our distinguished guests, and would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the organizing committee who made this conference a success.

INTRODUCTION

Keynote speakers

Biography

Associate professor in Arabian Gulf University
Consultant in Infectious diseases and Consultant in geriatric medicine
Chairperson of the secondary care committee for the geriatric care in MOH
Chairperson of the HIV management team in MOH
Chairperson of antibiotic stewardship program , Ministry of health
Chairperson of the national antibiotic stewardship committee in Bahrain
Previously Headed the infection control committee in the ministry of health for 5 years
Head of the infection control In King Abdul University Hospital

Dr Jameela graduated with Honor form the medical school at Arabian Gulf University. Then she joined the Salmaniya Medical complex in 1996.

Dr Jameela went to United states and has completed her residency and fellow ship programs in the United states where , she finished the internal medicine residency in Eason , Hahnemann University, , Pennsylvania, USA , then she did a fellowship in geriatric medicine in Temple University in Pennsylvania, then did a fellowship in infectious diseases at Yale University IN New haven, Connecticut, USA.

Dr Jameela is triple American Board certifications: American Board in internal Medicine, American Board in geriatric Medicine, American Board In Infectious Diseases. Dr Jameela has the board in infection control and recently the American board in medical quality.

Awarded by His majesty the king for her achievements in improving the clinical services and for the achievement in the antibiotic stewardship program and received the medal of competency from his majesty in the national day of the kingdom December 2016.

Awarded for the program of antibiotic stewardship for the best governmental practices for 2016 by HE the prime Minister in kingdom of Bahrain in 2016.

She did also a special training for one year in HIV management and hepatitis c at Yale University. She also did a special training in infection control at Yale University.

She has many publications in the peer reviewed journals. She is involved in a wide range of educational activities .She received several honors and awards for her scientific contribution internationally.

She is a member in several Professional Society Membership:-, American College of physician ,Infectious Diseases Society of America . Dr Al-Salman holds membership of the Bahrain Medical Society and the Saudi Society of Infectious Disease and Infection Control.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: COVID 19 , gender equality and Health

COVID 19 and gender equality in the health system.

The healthcare sector is facing unprecedented pressure. Healthcare workers are at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic and they are working around the clock, putting themselves and their families at risk to care for patients.

Although both women and men working in this sector are exposed to the virus, women are potentially more at risk of infection because for example they make up the majority (76 %) of healthcare workers in the EU.

Gender segregation in the labour market leads to different levels of exposure to Covid-19 for women and men.
Increased challenges to occupational health and well-being of women in caring professions need to be recognised.
It is crucial to consult women and have gender-balance in decision-making during crisis situations.

In general:

Recognising the different extent to which disease outbreaks affect women and men is a fundamental step to understand the effects of a health emergency on different individuals and communities, and to create effective, equitable policies and interventions.
Experience from past pandemic outbreaks show the importance of incorporating gender analysis into the preparedness and institutional response to improve the effectiveness of health interventions and promote gender and health equity goals.
Medical research and health services that address the impact of both sex (biological factors) and gender (social factors) on the health differences of women and men would help to better serve their individual health needs.
Increasing the representation of women in health governance, decision-making and certain occupations (e.g. senior doctors, professors or researchers) could help to ensure that women also have an opportunity to shape important healthcare decisions.

Position

United Nation's Peace Ambassador for Children and Youth Leading philanthropist and patron of the Arab culture and community Head of Presidents of the Arab Women's Organization

Biography

Princess Doaa is among the prominent women working towards the prosperity and goodwill of KSA with having master’s degree in Business Management, a master’s degree in International Politics and honored with Ph.D. in Law, Princess Doaa is the Founder & Owner of Friends Zone Academy, Head of Presidents of the Arab Women's Organization, Ambassador of Peace for Children and Youth of the United Nations and playing role of active member in several charity organizations that support children, education and medical treatment Jeddah, KSA. Princess Doaa is one of the leading pioneers in community, charitable and humanitarian work and an influential figure in the Arab World, She is supporting pediatric cancer patients, orphans, and the elderly, as well as supporting community relations for sustainable development.

Paper: Education Challenges during COVID 19

Islam gave women their status and made them partners with men in many rights and duties, taking into account their composition and role in life. Equality appeared in the Islamic religion, represented in many verses and rulings from the Holy Qur’an, for example: Knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman. We all know education is of great importance in human life, and in the child in particular. The student spends most of his time in his school, which motivates him to establish social relations and learn life skills, which supports his social behavior as an individual in society in addition to his sports activities, which maintains his physical health. Closure of educational institutions due to the pandemic has negative repercussions on the education process and on students of various stages. Distance education is not suitable for everyone, especially to those that do not have access to Internet technology. Children under 7 years of age are very difficult to receive from distance education because the educational process for that group is accustomed to education through play, behavioral and manual activities, colors, combinations, etc. Among the negative effects are psychological on children caused by social isolation, as social communication is very necessary to build the child's personality and develop with his peers and friends of the same age at school. The inability of many parents to provide support and assistance to their children due to their lack of preparation and lack of experience to play this role, which leads to a lack of understanding of the school content as required.

All these points will inevitably lead to the weakness of the education process and its primary role in building and developing the human being in addition to increasing poverty due to the decline of the economy, which will affect children from malnutrition and increase in diseases due to the lack of vaccinations and treatment. So we must be aware of every crisis its advantages and disadvantages and view the crisis positively, we must learn from what happened to find and study ways to deal with crises steadily and robustly in addition to increasing investment in education and focusing on it, children's health and joining efforts with civil society And finally, to return to receiving education in schools and educational institutions, while taking all safety and health precautions and methods for children and students, and ensuring that future deliberate plans are drawn up to adapt to new situations and reduce their negative effects.

Presentation

Biography

Dr. Farzana Al-Maraghi is the Director of Scientific Research at the Higher Education Council, Kingdom of Bahrain. Prior to that, she was the Head of Academic Accreditation at HEC. She has academic experience for around ten years, teaching Mathematics, Research Methodology, and Applied Statistics. Dr. Al-Maraghi earned her PhD in Statistics and Operations Research in 2008 from Brunel University. Her PhD research focused on Queueing systems. She holds a Master in Education, specifically, Mathematics Curricula Development, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, both with Excellence and honor classes, from the University of Bahrain. In 2012, she accomplished a professional certificate in Leadership from Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK. She is IBM certified specialist for using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions Software. Dr. Al-Maraghi published several articles in the area of statistics in international refereed journals, and served as a referee as well. She has conducted many nation-wide researches mostly in the education sector. She also was accredited by the British Psychological Society, talentQ and HayGroup as ability and personality tests user.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: COVID-19 Pandemic and Gender Equality: A Global Perspective

Nations worldwide have put tremendous efforts to bridge the gender gap in education and workplace, however coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, created a new challenge facing gender equality. This paper will highlight how this pandemic extremely affected women in different fields, such us, education in terms of working hours, job losses and home care burdens.

An overview of statistical data will be presented that show how women in different sectors was negatively impacted. For instance, in education, around 132 million girls, about 1 in 5 across the world are out of school. While as employees, women’s jobs are 1.8 times more vulnerable than men’s jobs.

According to Harvard Business Review and Mckinsey, gender inequality has negative impact on global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) therefore, immediate actions should be taken. It is estimated that not taking any actions will cause global GDP to be $1 trillion lower, while immediate actions could add $13 trillion to global GDP. In the Kingdom of Bahrain, statistics reflected that the Kingdom succeeded in lowering the gap between gender in education as the percentage of dropout students from HEIs for academic year 2019/2020 was 0.35% and of which 43% were females.

Some actions to mitigate the potential negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic upon gender equality in different sectors are discussed in the paper, along with recommendations for Bahrain.

Biography

As a Geography graduate from Cambridge University, Josephine first worked as a promotions and PR Executive for an independent local radio network across central and southern England before joining Jazz FM in London. She later became a BBC local radio broadcast news journalist and presenter, having trained for several years in community media both in the UK and in the USA. After that she worked as curriculum coordinator at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield for the MA course on Documentary Direction. She then conducted a practice-based PhD in community radio production at Birkbeck, University of London, where she also tutored in media theory. Jo is former Chair of the MeCCSA Radio Studies Network and currently looking after their publicity and social media.

Qualifications

PhD in media and cultural studies, Dept of Film and Screen Media at Birkbeck, University of London. Practice-based thesis entitled: Talk of the Town. Exploring the social site of local content production for community radio.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: Gendered social sites of community radio practice: digital technologies and COVID-19

This paper discusses equal opportunities in the practice-arrangements of community radio stations in the UK. In this country’s mainstream radio industry, women account for 51% of the workforce covering off-air roles such as engineering and administration, and on-air such as journalism and presenting (Ofcom, 2018). However, men account for 81% of board level, technical and engineering roles whereas women outnumber men in marketing (70%) and support (66%). My recent research into community radio production practices, including an online study exploring responses to COVID-19, indicates that gendered hierarchies within this volunteer-led sector also persist (Coleman, 2020). Programme schedules and boardrooms are dominated by middle-aged, white men. 79.5% of station leaders who responded to my online survey were male; over half of them (52.3%) were aged between 51 and 70, and a further 34.1% were aged between 31 and 50. As for ethnic diversity, my respondents were overwhelmingly white (86.4%).

Failure to ensure diversity within a community radio station has implications for how the normative ideals of alternative, participative media are attained: community radio should be done not only for, but by and with its target audiences. My research suggests that innovations relating to digital technologies can help redress this. Having surveyed and listened to stations during lockdown, mostly operating from makeshift studios in practitioners’ homes, I gained insights relating to what steps had been taken to sustain broadcast outputs compared to their normal organisational structures and programming arrangements. There were signs of inequalities in terms of access to the requisite resources enabling volunteers to continue contributing content, but different experiences were reported across the country. Overall, the volunteer-led workforce was living up to their reputation for resilience and resourcefulness in providing news updates and entertainment to lift the spirits, rallying morale and facilitating neighbourhood assistance networks.

Social distancing measures are impacting all aspects of society and community life, from education to business, entertainment to healthcare. But my research demonstrates that community radio stations, fuelled by the goodwill and commitment of local citizens, have risen to these challenges. I conclude that the application of digital technologies can enhance equal opportunities in community radio, which in turn increases the sector’s ability to deliver social gain with public service purpose.

References:

Coleman, J. (2020) UK community radio production responses to COVID-19. Available at: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/21156.

Ofcom (2018) Diversity and equal opportunities in radio. Monitoring report on the UK radio industry. Ofcom. Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/114829/Diversity-in-radio-2018.pdf.

Biography

Acquired Doctor of Laws Degree from National University of Malaysia and Master of Laws Degree from International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Life member of Islamabad High Court Bar Association and Islamabad District Courts Bar Association.

Over 6 years of research experience and over 3 years of teaching experience in the field of law.

Have written various research papers on different topics of law published in renown journals as well as presented plenty of conference papers.

Paper: Covid-19 And Gender Inequalities In Pakistan

COVID-19 affected women more than men throughout the world especially where working women ratio is higher but in Pakistan women are not directly affected as married women in Pakistan are dependent upon their husband and unmarried women are dependent upon their father or elder brother. COVID-19 spread throughout Pakistan and affected poor labour workers of Pakistan adhering the situation the Prime Minister of Pakistan instead of locking down the whole country used smart lock downs to allow poor labour workers of Pakistan to earn livelihood for their women and children. Literacy rate of Pakistani women is less than 50% as male domination, conservative and traditionalist mind sets are hurdles in women empowerment in Pakistan which cannot be achieved without providing proper education to women in Pakistan. It is true that the Government of Pakistan failed to create friendly atmosphere for women to participate in all spheres of life as are guaranteed under article 34 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 which states that the Government of Pakistan will ensure full participation of women in all spheres of life but there are misconceptions regarding gender inequalities in Pakistan that this is because of religious mind set which is totally incorrect as majority people of Pakistan are Muslims and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated that education is compulsory for every male and female without discrimination thus negative propaganda against Islam needs to be removed and it is a time to help and support positive steps taken by the Government of Pakistan to manage inequalities and promote gender equalities as guaranteed under article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 that every person is equal before Pakistani law without discrimination as to sex, race, religion, residence, and place of birth. The Government of Pakistan has almost overcome the spreading threat of COVID-19 by Civil and Military cooperation and hopefully will take positive steps for overcoming gender inequalities exist in Pakistani society and create friendly environment for working women in Pakistan to work outside house without fear. This research is an analyses and examination of COVID-19 threat to the Government of Pakistan and its impact on women in Pakistan as well as this research is an analysis of gender inequalities in Pakistani society which needs to sort out to allow women participation in all spheres of life without discrimination as are guaranteed under Pakistani Law and Islamic Law as prescribed in Holy Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Position

Research Fellow, Royal Holloway University of London and Northern European Regional Hub Coordinator, Planetary Health Alliance

Biography

Jennifer Cole is a biological anthropologist interested in how humans influence and adapt to changing environmental conditions, particularly in the context of the human-induced changes of the Anthropocene. She is based in the Geography Department at Royal Holloway, University of London, which sits within the School of the Environment and Life Sciences. Her key research interests are in Global Health, human evolutionary and population biology, including how we have adapted to live in modern environments, how modern conditions affect our health across the life course, and the risks posed to health when healthcare systems are disrupted or overwhelmed by conflict, disasters and emergencies. She is interested in resilience at individual, community, national and international levels. She studied Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, then worked in publishing for 15 years before joining the National Security and Resilience Department of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), a policy think tank working closely with UK government including the Cabinet Office, MoD, Home Office and Foreign Office. From 2007-2017, she ran the Resilience and Emergency Management programme. Between 2013 and 2017, she undertook a PhD into health information during the Ebola crisis. She retains an interest in how health information is sought out, shared and trusted during health emergencies, including over peer-to-peer platforms

and social media, and how relevant scientific information and advice is communicated from the authorities to the affected population, then moved to Oxford University for a year to work for the Rockefeller Foundation Economic Council on Planetary Health before returning to Royal Holloway in 2018.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: Gendered spaces of COVID19

COVID19 has had a markedly different impact on men and women. Across the world, men and women are at equal risk of contracting COVID19 but are more likely to progress to severe illness and more likely to die, particularly in older age groups. The reasons for this are not yet entirely clear but are thought to include genetic differences, such as in the male and female immune system, and behavioural differences such as higher rates of smoking in men and higher compliance with avoidance behaviours such as face coverings and handwashing in women. A second issue around gender issues for COVID19 is the changing nature of family and home environments in the developed world. In many European countries and in North America, the numbers of deaths recorded in care homes was high, suggesting that this mode of caring for the elderly raises particular vulnerabilities; however, spread in multi-generational households has also been a major concern, suggesting that more traditional family structures may offer no greater protection to the vulnerable. This presentation will explore the different impacts gender has had on vulnerability to COVID19, and the implications this may have on gender roles, particularly within family structures, in future.

Position

Quarantine Manager – MOH

Consultant / Advisor Allied Medical Profession, National Health Regulatory Authority

(NHRA) kingdom of Bahrain

Biography

Consultant Namat Alsubaie has completed BSN, College of Health science- Bahrain (CHS).MSc Quality Health Care Management, Royal collage surgeon, Ireland (RCSI), Diploma in sick children (Dublin- Ireland) diploma in community health science (CHS-Bahrain ) get certificate for cupping therapy from Sharjah International Holistic Health Center, also she is certified Auditor and Jurisdiction Officer at NHRA.

-She gained a comprehensive experience in alternative medicine through searching regulating alternative medicine different professions. Currently she is chairperson for the Advisory Committee on Licensing of Alternative Medicine and Complementary Medicine Committee and Equal Opportunity Committee (Supreme Council of Women (SCW) Bahrain and GCC Alternative and Complementary Medicine Committee, as well as discipline committee for Nurses and Midwifes, since 2015 till now.

-The biggest achievement when She took over since Nov 2015 to regulate the alternative medicine in the kingdom of Bahrain by issuing Resolution no (33) of 2016.

-The owner of the idea of issuing a permit license for the Bahraini traditional cupping since October 2017.

The second big achievement ,that raise the level of awareness in NHRA about equal opportunity through different project with collaboration with private hospital in the kingdom.

The major achievement to give special training to the volunteers ( male ,female) in hidd quarantine to fight the covid 19 vires since the epidemic started in the bahrain, and distribute the expertise from them to other isolation centers.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: Corona fighter Together we win

Volunteering is the main concept of humanity and nobody has made it through life without somebody’s help. However, volunteering is the main voice of persons put into an action form and grows present into future of which we can be proud of

We can beat it together. The Covid19 pandemic showed us that we can fully believe in our leadership and we can trust them to lead us throughout the way to fight this vicious virus

Through coronavirus crisis our leadership showed how thoughtful and supportive they are when it comes to fight this

As we stand up all together, we followed the leads and we start up our quarantine divisions as soldiers to fight an unseen enemy which we still do with open heart and positive minds

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic is not just a health issue. It is a reflective tremor to our societies and economies, unpredicted visitors to our life effecting all humanities including men women and children

However, women are at the heart of care and response efforts underway.

As front-line responders, health specialists, community volunteers, transport and logistics administrators, scientists and more, women are making critical contributions to address the epidemic every day.

Additionally, when it comes to COVID-19–related economic effects Women are more vulnerable due to gender inequalities

According to UN women they estimate that female job loss rates due to COVID-19 are about 1.8 times higher than male job loss rates globally, at 5.7% versus 3.1 % respectively. However, women make more than 70% of all health and social-services staff internationally. Due to this the majority of those on the front lines of the covid-19 pandemic are women. So, we instantly need to empower these women

Addition to that, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women Which we addressing the right lessons from the COVID-19 catastrophe, which demands that we take a hard look at how we value and pay for women’s contributions to health care, social services, and the economy

Overall, these are some points to be addressed

Given that the COVID-19 crisis affects men and women in different ways, measures to resolve it must take gender into account. For women and girls, vulnerabilities in the home, on the front lines of health care, and in the labor market must be addressed.
Must recognize that women will play a critical role in determining the crisis, and that measures to address the pandemic and its economic outcome should contain a gender viewpoint.

We will apply our full resources and capabilities in protecting and empowering the rights of all women and girls. That is what we do and who we are, as a leader, mobilizer, provider of programs, and partner for change
The challenges are large, but as we build bonds and bring societies together to set an agenda for equality, not impossible

It is crucial that underlying gender equalities are important by this crisis. As observed in covid-19 pandemics, women are -and will be- excessively affected in myriad ways

Finally, hope is the only stronger thing than fear which means that we will survive covid19 together by holding the positive energy around us

Here in our quarantine unit we know that in every crisis, hesitation or confusion, we should take the higher path - the path of consideration, bravery, thoughtful and love.

Position

Deputy Chief Executive – Business Development & Services at The BENEFIT Company.

Biography

Mr. Yousif AlNefaiei Deputy Chief Executive – Business Development & Services at The BENEFIT Company. Joined BENEFIT on March 30th, 2006 and have held many senior positions ever since. He holds a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from the Brunel University of London in the United Kingdom and a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Bahrain.

Mr. AlNefaiei has a total of 25 years of experience in the information technology and banking industries. He is a well-driven and solutions-focused professional equipped with experience spanning Corporate Strategy development, Organizational Budget Planning and Administration, Retail Banking Innovative Digital Solutions, E-Banking & E-Commerce Business Developments, Cards/ATMs/POS/Mobile Products Developments, Innovative Mobile Banking and Digital Payments, Cross Border Remittance Development, 3rd Part Processing and Outsourcing in Banking IT and Operation, Information Systems and Project Management, Banking Business Support and Operation functions, with a focus on customer-centric innovative solutions and efficient distribution channels.

In his capacity at BENEFIT, he is a major player in drafting the 3 years Corporate Strategy. He was responsible for supervising the Electronic Funds Transfer System (EFTS) project with 3 major services Fawri, Fawri+ & Fawateer. Moreover, He managed BenefitPay team as a National Mobile wallet using QR 7 NFC payments, and also led BENEFIT’s team who developed Electronic Cheque Processing and Clearing System.

Prior to being Deputy Chief Executive at BENEFIT, he has held leading positions in SINNAD Company, BBK, University of Bahrain and Bahrain National Guard.

Social Media Info

LinkedIn Profile.

Paper: Digital Transformation during Covid19 indicators from BENEFIT experience

With the pandemic beginning to spread throughout the world, both the business sector and consumers began to adapt to this new situation and to search for the best solutions and practices that would enable them to continue to do so in the services of shopping, selling and buying. In this presentation, we review the experience of the BENEFIT Company in dealing with major transformation in the society and consumer behavior towards electronic payments in various sectors. The presentation will give statistical highlights in many of our services that state consumer rise habits toward digital transactions.

Position

Director, Strategy and Planning- Tamkeen

Biography

a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from University of Bahrain and is also a Certified Accountant(CPA) and a project management professional(PMP). Emma worked in several organizations before joining Tamkeen including Court of the Crown Prince, Bahrain Olympic Committee, Banyan Non-Profit Management(Canada) and Manulife Financial(Canada).

Emma is the Director of Planning and Strategy – Tamkeen since June 2020. She is also on the board on Bahrain Entrepreneurship organization and the Bahrain Development SME’s Society Emma graduated from the University of Bahrain with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and has worked in the field of Accounting and Finance for over 20 years, both in the Kingdom of Bahrain and in Canada. In addition to her Bachelor’s degree, Emma has a Professional Certification in Public Accounting (CPA) and Project Management (PMP).

She is the Founder and Managing Director of Empower Business Solutions and has been assisting startups in both accounting and business consultations since 2013

Paper: How can we convert a short term emergency response to enduring structural change.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed several vulnerabilities in both the labor market and broader economy. However, it has also revealed the potential of digital technologies and agility to contribute to business continuity, resilience and sustainability.

What this pandemic period has further stressed, is that the global economic landscape is changing and we may not be prepared for it. While the growth in the number of enterprises has been a positive indicator it is also concerning that businesses have not grown in size nor has their productivity increased significantly. If businesses do not adapt, they are vulnerable and unable to catch up to the demands of a changing economic landscape.

The situation, however, presents an important opportunity. The pandemic has allowed a global experiment to take place. It has demonstrated that certain changes the market has been resistant to or have been limited in adopting, are now the path to resilience and continuity.

If more is done to capitalize on this opportunity it could lead to greater labor market inclusion and greater opportunities for growth. In particular we are presented with four key opportunities:

• Innovative disruption

• Business model overhauls

• Substitution

• Flexibility

The first two opportunities relate closely to the role of businesses in the economy. While for most enterprises the pandemic has been a serious constraint, others that have demonstrated an ability to innovate and attempt to tackle relevant economic problems, are those that have been able to survive better and perhaps thrive under current conditions. This innovative disruption in the market which is usually driven by newer and more adaptable firms creates new sources of employment and financial sustainability. Similarly, businesses that have committed to overhauling their way of operating to focus on productivity and greater efficiency have turned this challenge into an opportunity. Examples such as embracing digital technology, cloud-based solutions or renewable energy has allowed enterprises to do more with less. Not only has this allowed them to cope with the current situation but also puts them at a greater advantage when the current situation subsides.

The other two opportunities relate to the labor market. Due to the pandemic for the first time, the investment in low cost and low skilled labor has diminished in favor of investing in technology. This transition allows for greater productivity in businesses but also creates high value jobs. Employment driven by such shifts is more sustainable and also creates greater opportunities for economic inclusion.

The final opportunity is presented by flexibility in the work environment. The labor market has had to become more dynamic and acceptance towards flexible working environments allowed for more business continuity and cost effectiveness. This in particular has benefited certain segments that would be more vulnerable such as women and youth.

In summary, this change will not remain optional. The forces that are transforming jobs globally could create more employment and better conditions in the private sector. The pandemic has created an urgency for change. However, these changes must not be a short term response because when they are converted into an enduring structural change could lead to a stronger and more resilient economy and also contribute to the objective of equal opportunities while protecting those most vulnerable.

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4th Equal Opportunities
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4th Equal Opportunities Conference

Welcome Messages

PROF. ABDULLA Y. AL HAWAJ

Prof. Mariann Rand-Weaver

INTRODUCTION

Prof. Mansoor Alaali

DR. MARY RICHARDS

Keynote speakers

H.P MP Mr. Bader Aldoseri

Dr Dunya Ahmed Abdulla

Dr. Jameela alsalman

H.R.H. Princess Doaa M. Ezzat

Presentation

Dr. Farzana Al-Maraghi

Dr. Omar Al-ubaydli

Dr. Josephine Coleman

Dr. Sohaib Mukhtar

Dr. Jennifer Cole

MRS. NAMAT AL SUBAIE

Mr. Yousif AlNefaiei

Mr. Ali Ahmed Alwedaie

Ms. Emma AlMansoori

Registration

Patronage

Organizers

Strategic partners

2ND & 3RD OF DECEMBER 2020

4th Equal Opportunity Conference

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4th Equal Opportunities Conference

Welcome Messages

PROF. ABDULLA Y. AL HAWAJ

PROF. ABDULLA Y. AL HAWAJ

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Prof. Mariann Rand-Weaver

Prof. Mariann Rand-Weaver

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PROVOST (EDUCATION)

INTRODUCTION

Prof. Mansoor Alaali

PROF. MANSOOR ALAALI

INTRODUCTION FROM AHLIA UNIVERSITY

DR. MARY RICHARDS

DR. MARY RICHARDS

INTRODUCTION FROM BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON

Keynote speakers

H.P MP Mr. Bader Aldoseri

H.P MP Mr. Bader Aldoseri

Position

Paper: Working paper on the Role of the Council of Representatives in Achieving Equal Opportunities between Women and Men amid Coronavirus "COVID-19"

Dr Dunya Ahmed Abdulla

Dr Dunya Ahmed Abdulla

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: National efforts to support Bahraini women and families during the Covid-19 crisis

Dr. Jameela alsalman

Dr. Jameela Mohamed alsalman

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: COVID 19 , gender equality and Health

H.R.H. Princess Doaa M. Ezzat

H.R.H. Princess Doaa M. Ezzat

Position

Biography

Paper: Education Challenges during COVID 19

Presentation

Dr. Farzana Al-Maraghi

Dr. Farzana Al-Maraghi

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: COVID-19 Pandemic and Gender Equality: A Global Perspective

Dr. Omar Al-ubaydli

Dr. Omar Al-ubaydli

Position

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: The impact of Covid-19 on female-male inequality: Bahrain vs. the UK and US

Dr. Josephine Coleman

Dr. Josephine Coleman

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: Gendered social sites of community radio practice: digital technologies and COVID-19

Dr. Sohaib Mukhtar

Dr. Sohaib Mukhtar

Biography

Paper: Covid-19 And Gender Inequalities In Pakistan

Dr. Jennifer Cole

Dr. Jennifer Cole

Position

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: Gendered spaces of COVID19

MRS. NAMAT AL SUBAIE

Mrs. Namat Al Subaie

Position

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: Corona fighter Together we win

Mr. Yousif AlNefaiei

Mr. Yousif AlNefaiei

Position

Biography

Social Media Info

Paper: Digital Transformation during Covid19 indicators from BENEFIT experience

Mr. Ali Ahmed Alwedaie

Mr. Ali Ahmed Alwedaie

Position

Biography

4th Equal Opportunities
Conference

4th Equal Opportunity Conference

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF HOW AHLIA CAN SET YOU ON THE PATH TO YOUR GLOBAL FUTURE.