ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES–(Marketwired – Nov. 29, 2015) –

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Ms. Almas Jiwani will be providing her ideas and solutions as a panelist at the Global Women In Leadership (WIL) Economic Forum 2015 in Abu Dhabi on the 3^rd of November, 2015 under His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori’s patronage, UAE’s Minister of Economy.

Equal pay for equal work has often been used as a key indicator in determining the level of gender disparity that exists in the work place. Today, there is no country in the world where women earn as much as men for doing the same job. Discussions pertaining to quotas have been taking place for well over a decade.

“According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014, it will take eighty-one years for this gap to close. In the interim, it is up to us to advocate for gender diversity in the workplace, particularly in decision-making bodies of the public and private sectors,” said Ms. Almas Jiwani, echoing the sentiments of the report and women leaders worldwide.

Almas Jiwani’s session was aimed at accelerating women’s advancement to achieve global gender parity. Other distinguished women in leadership positions joined Almas Jiwani as co-panelists, including Her Excellency Ameera Bin Karam, Chair for Sharjah Business Women Council.

“Almas Jiwani embodies the principles and practices that we promote at the Global WIL Economic Forum – she is the ultimate change maker, a passionate advocate for female empowerment and gender parity, and a strong female leader in her own right. She is effortlessly genuine. Her eloquence is second to none, as we have seen once again this year during her much-anticipated speech at the Forum. She is the ideal WIL Ambassador, and we are honored to have her on board with us” stated Sophie LeRay, CEO and founder of WIL Series Forum.

“A key idea that we have previously discussed and will continue to discuss is the idea of quotas. Do they work? How effective are they? What do we do in order to bring awareness and a sense of urgency when it comes to the importance of gender parity?” asked Almas Jiwani.

Significant work needs to be done to raise global awareness about gender-based economic disparity. With the new federal government sworn in on November 4, 2015, all eyes turned to Canada to see the role it plays in closing this gap. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau appointed half of his cabinet members are women. Canada is off to a good start and has set the bar high for other countries both in the developing and developed worlds. Almas Jiwani will be discussing her ideas and hopes for the country as a trailblazer in closing this gap.

About Almas Jiwani Foundation

Almas Jiwani Foundation is to empower women and girls through focused projects that will directly address Equality, Education, Entrepreneurship and Energy rights and impact lives in positive & meaningful ways.

AJF Programs will be aimed at empowering girls and women by expanding access to education, increasing economic opportunity, and providing or improving access to the energy at the most local levels possible. The improved access to energy is expected to yield a co-benefit of better use of technology and modern communications systems, including smart phones and the internet.

Our goal is to elevate millions of women out of poverty and in radical, insufferable situations- and with them, their families and entire communities. These technologies, which we in the west take for granted, could impact these communities the most, and help them harness their power for economic gain.

“We have embarked upon this journey to make an actionable impact on the lives of those women and girls who need it most” Jiwani said. “It is our belief that through access to energy and education we can empower these girls and women to become entrepreneurs, improving both their own future, and that of their communities”

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