Haifa Al Kaylani, the Palestinian-British founder of Arab International Women's Forum, has been appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Anne, the Princess Royal, awarded Mrs Al Kaylani with the honour his week during an investiture at Windsor Castle in recognition of her services to women, young people and cultural relations between the UK and the countries of the Middle East.
For more than 20 years, London resident Mrs Al Kaylani has sought to empower women in Arab countries by connecting them to institutions in the UK and around the world.
The Arab International Women’s Forum, which she founded in 2001 and still heads, supports women and young people in setting up businesses and developing skills.
Mrs Al Kaylani said she was “deeply honoured and humbled” to receive the distinction during a “profoundly moving and memorable experience”.
The accolade marks “a special and very touching milestone not only in my four-decades-long work as a development economist, but in my personal journey, and in recognising my contributions to the social and economic empowerment of women and young people in the Middle East and North Africa,” she added.
“I am more motivated than ever to continue my work, inspired by the values and aspirations that this prestigious award embodies.
“To be recognised in such a manner is truly a privilege, and it has encouraged me to further dedicate myself to making a positive impact in the sustainability areas I care passionately about and for the region we all love dearly.
“It is a testament to the collective effort, dedication, and support of my colleagues, family, and the communities I have had the privilege to serve and collaborate with.
“This honour is truly a shared achievement, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as we work together towards a brighter, more inclusive and more prosperous and peaceful future for women and young people and all in the Arab region and the world.”
Mrs Al Kaylani was born into a Palestinian-Lebanese family and went to school in the UK, later studying at Oxford University.
“In all my work, I am addressing the subject as an economist, not as a feminist,” she said.
“I am a development economist, and for me, without empowering 50 per cent of its population no country can develop politically, socially or economically.”
She was motivated to set up the AIWF, in part, by negative stereotypes of Arab women in the UK at the time.
“There was a lot of misunderstanding about the role of women in the region,” she recalled.
She had encountered these stereotypes while serving as the president of the International Federation of Women’s Associations in London.
People were surprised to see an Arab and Muslim woman at the helm of the organisation.
“I would be asked: You’re an Arab? You’re a Muslim?” she recalled.
Since then, the AIWF has evolved to support women, young people and sustainability. Among her early projects was helping women in Arab countries to set up businesses.
“It was important to think of women as engines of growth,” she said.
Haifa Al Kaylani OBE's life - in pictures
The Arab uprisings in 2011 further inspired her to set up an initiative for young Arab women leaders.
“The youth were educated but they were not able to find jobs. They were not fully utilised,” she said.
Focusing on women aged 20 to 40 years, the AIWF held conferences across major Middle East capitals, including Abu Dhabi, and internationally.
“This was in order to discuss what is stopping them from optimising that potential,” she said.
The AIWF has focused on women’s role in addressing climate change and sustainability joining forces with Masdar’s Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy platform (WiSER) to produce a report ahead of Cop28.
Mrs Al Kaylani gave four addresses at the climate change conference in December, including moderating a panel at the Arab Women Leader’s Summit.
“Women have to be at the table. Their voices must be heard,” she said.
Her understanding of the culture in Arab countries helped her navigate the challenging terrain with ease, she said.
“I come from the region. I am an Arab, very proudly with three roots, and a UK citizen. I understand our culture, I was brought up in our region with the appreciation for our heritage,” she said.
“When I address issues about the empowerment, I am saying we must support women’s roles as partners, at home, in society, in government, in the business sector.”
She paid tribute to her late husband, whom she says was her greatest supporter.
“The AIWF took a lot of my time over the years, and a lot of my family time. Without my husband’s support and encouragement, I could not have done it,” she said.
Yet she feared the challenges that the Israel-Gaza war would bring to the region.
“Our region has been plagued over the years by conflict. It’s women and children who suffer the most. We have seen that with our own eyes,” she said.
“It’s very important that we try to foster peace. Without peace there cannot be growth, there cannot be prosperity, people cannot work, cannot build a better future for their families. And of course, women’s empowerment also suffers.
“The most important thing we need to work on is working for peace.”
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Manchester United v Club America
When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
MATCH INFO
England 241-3 (20 ovs)
Malan 130 no, Morgan 91
New Zealand 165 all out (16.5ovs)
Southee 39, Parkinson 4-47
England win by 76 runs
Series level at 2-2
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
