My research addresses the pressing development challenge of empowering women through entrepreneurship and employment in the public sector. My work focuses on the role of female entrepreneurship on national development and identifies the main factors fostering and inhibiting women entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East and North Africa region. It also examines the role of the public sector in empowering women in Qatar and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

My aim is to advance our understanding and awareness about women’s employment and its enabling factors and potential barriers, allowing policymakers to adapt and adopt appropriate policies. Recent media coverage of my work, underscored the biggest obstacle to employment for women in the UAE region – work-life balance. Women’s need for adequate childcare and flexible work hours has direct implications for public policy.

My research on these issues involves strong collaboration with local stakeholders and international partners. One approach we use to communicate with stakeholders is through policy briefs that articulate context-specific recommendations to further reduce gender inequities and enhance social and economic development.