The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), an affiliate of the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), was one of the participants at the CGI 2016 

Annual Meeting held from 19 to 21 September, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New York City, USA. Among the topic-specific groups that collaborated to generate solutions through Commitments to Action – a CGI America’s Working Group model, which outlines the meeting’s proceedings every year – advancing full socioeconomic partnership for girls and women, making it a strategic global imperative was on SBWC’s main agenda.  

Her Excellency Ameera BinKaram, Deputy Chairperson of NAMA and Chairperson of SBWC, highlighted efforts and initiatives undertaken by the UAE, specifically Sharjah, in supporting and empowering women professionally and economically. She facilitated two sessions at the meeting;the first on ‘women’s entrepreneurship’ and the second on ‘employing technology for entrepreneurship expansion’. Among those who co-facilitated the sessions alongside BinKaram were, prominent figures including Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Corporation; Karina Nagin, Executive Director of Mission: Restore; Katja Iversen, President and CEO of Women Deliver; and Keith Ferrazzi, Founder and Chairman of Ferrazzi Greenlight.

Bringing to the fore the main reasons for their participation at the CGI 2016 Annual Meeting, HE Ameera BinKaram, said, "We sought through our participation in the annual meetings of the Clinton Global Initiative to familiarise the attendants with the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of NAMA and Honorary Chairperson of SBWC, and her immense efforts to empower women. We also highlighted the great strides thatthe UAE, particularly Sharjah, has made in supporting and empowering our women professionally and economically.”

"The meeting discussed ways on how to turn ideas into tangible results, and promote the CGI members' positive commitment to action plans. Our sessions succeeded in throwing light on how members can equip themselves with methods and approaches, which will enable them to overcome context-specific challenges and in turn share their expertise. The participantsstressedthe need for governments to cooperate with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to effectively address the world's most pressing problems in this regard”, BinKaram added highlighting the importance of collective action and strengthening global alliances.  

While it was unanimously agreed that that there has never been a better time to be born female, as girls and women have a much greater chance to live healthy and secure lives with their fundamental rights being protected by law in many countries; the sessions’ participants also accepted that the pace of change has been slow. They stressed on the need to further augment efforts to promote women’s economic participation, address violence against girls and women, and advancing women’s leadership more actively. 

CGI usually holds its annual meetings in September in New York City. The event brings together a number of world leaders, heads of state and ministers, global figures with prominent contributions to various sectors, civil society leaders, media representatives and artists. Last year, members of the CGI community announced 123 new commitments to action, expected to impact more than 15 million lives around the world when fully funded and implemented. To date, more than 3,400 commitments have been made, improving the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.