MANAMA: Export Bahrain, an initiative of the SME Development Board, is cooperating with the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) to support Bahraini women-owned SMEs and microenterprises to enhance their participation in the global economy.
The partnership will enable more women to participate in international trade, develop their products and services, and possibly even take their businesses global. Women-owned SMEs have secured multiple opportunities in global markets with the support of Export Bahrain initiatives designed to increase exports as well as introduce new exporters.
Till date Export Bahrain has facilitated $10.23 million plus worth of exports by Bahrain-based women-owned businesses via its export focused solutions across more than 20 product and service categories to more than 21 markets worldwide.
The agreement is a key component of the National Plan for the Advancement of Bahraini Women (2019-2022) led by the SCW.
Export Bahrain’s cooperation with SCW is designed to further highlight the opportunities available to women in the kingdom to capture global business and export growth opportunities.
Export Bahrain director Safa AbdulKhaliq said, “Export Bahrain solutions are designed to offer tangible results to businesses and to ensure that we expand the presence of products and services that are made in Bahrain in markets across the world. More than 55 per cent of women-owned businesses that have worked with Export Bahrain have managed to enter new global markets in 21 countries and we are working to increase this even further. More than 41pc of Export Bahrain customers are women business owners and our cooperation with the SCW is important to support achieving these efforts as we continue to reach out to women owned businesses across all sectors of the economy.”
Ranya Aljarf, director of the Gender Balance Centre at the Supreme council for Women, said, “This initiative is key to creating more economic opportunities and raising the competitiveness of Bahrain based businesswomen. The collaboration aims to provide the right solutions allowing businesses of all sizes to tap into a global customer base and encourage a national export culture that will position Bahrain as a hub for exporters.”
She added, “Export Bahrain and SCW will work together to provide women entrepreneurs and business owners with the support and guidance necessary to develop their products and services according to international standards and enhance their access in global markets.”
Ilium Composites managing director Luma Al Jishi said, “Export Bahrain supported the business in expansion across the Middle East, US, Europe, and Asia. Collaboration between Export Bahrain and SCW will further give women-owned businesses a clear advantage to get access to promising regional and global trade destinations.”
Nahla Al Mahmood, founder and general manager of LalaBella, said, “Export Bahrain paved our way to enter Canada.
This valuable initiative between Export Bahrain and SCW will highly contribute to enhancing Bahraini women’s economic empowerment endeavours”.
77 Design Advertising founder Faten Husain said, “Export Bahrain made it possible for us to access the market in Paraguay for the first time. This collaboration will lead to creating more economic opportunities for business owners, working with a wider network of local and international partners to raise their exports.”
Noor Al Shoala, founder of Twinkle Twinkle Center, said the company exported children’s sensory trays to the UAE and Philippines with the support Export Bahrain, whose cooperation with SCW will help more women-owned businesses globalise their high-quality products.
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