Empowering Women In Publishing: PublisHer And Visa Announce Collaboration
In a significant move towards addressing gender imbalances within the global publishing industry, PublisHer, an international organization dedicated to driving change, has entered into a strategic partnership with Visa, a global leader in digital payments. This collaboration aims to bolster efforts in supporting women in the publishing and entrepreneurial sectors. The agreement was formalized by PublisHer Founder Bodour Al Qasimi and Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), during the 2024 Sharjah International Booksellers Conference.
This partnership marks a pivotal step in providing educational opportunities, mentorship sessions, market insights, and professional advice to UAE’s women, aiding them in establishing a stronger presence in regional and international business landscapes. As part of this collaboration, Visa sponsored the "PublisHer Lounge" at the 2024 Sharjah International Booksellers Conference. This initiative offered female publishers workshops in partnership with the International Trade Centre’s SheTrades Initiative, aiming to empower women in publishing to achieve their career and business objectives.
The "PublisHer Lounge" serves as a platform for women in the publishing industry to gain valuable insights from experts in the field. It offers advice on professional presentation, personal style guidance, and even business portraits. This initiative will extend its presence to the Sharjah International Book Fair later this year, as part of PublisHer’s extensive event program.
Furthermore, this partnership will see PublisHer supporting Visa in executing the next cycle of the "She’s Next" project, which is focused on the publishing sector. "She’s Next" is Visa’s global advocacy program designed to support women-owned small businesses through funding, training, and mentorship. This collaboration aims to provide a unique perspective on gender disparity issues both regionally and internationally.
Bodour Al Qasimi expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the importance of strategic collaborations in tackling gender imbalances effectively. She emphasized that the alignment of aims and ambitions between PublisHer and Visa through projects like "She’s Next" positions them to offer enhanced support to women in publishing and business.
Dr. Saeeda Jaffar from Visa shared similar sentiments, expressing excitement over the partnership with PublisHer. She underscored Visa’s commitment to supporting women in publishing and entrepreneurship through initiatives like "She’s Next," which is specifically tailored for female publishers—a first-of-its-kind venture. Dr. Jaffar emphasized the joint commitment of both organizations to fostering equity and inclusion within the publishing industry.
This collaboration between PublisHer and Visa represents a forward-thinking approach to addressing longstanding issues of gender imbalance in publishing. By combining resources and expertise, both organizations aim to create a more inclusive and equitable industry landscape for women.
With inputs from WAM
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