Entries have been pouring in for the Woman of the Year Awards (WOTYA) 2026 since the nominations were declared open last month.
As in the previous editions, this year’s event, which is set to be staged on December 2, will recognise the exceptional women who are shaping Bahrain’s future through their achievements and contributions across sectors.
The upcoming awards will, however, feature more honours and deeper community engagement, organisers have revealed.
In addition to the award ceremony, guests will enjoy energetic musical performances and other entertainment throughout the evening.
Established in 2024, WOTYA is staged by Red House Marketing, in partnership with Woman This Month and the Gulf Daily News (GDN).
JETOUR will be joining as the prestigious title sponsor this year. Other partners include Radio Bahrain, Asghar Ali, Home Centre, Foursquare, SOS Marketing and Talking Pictures.
“The Woman of the Year Awards has grown into one of Bahrain’s most meaningful platforms for recognising women whose achievements deserve wider visibility,” Red House Marketing, Woman This Month and WOTYA publisher and founder George Middleton told the GDN.
“This year, our expectation is to build on the strong foundations created in 2025, with wider nominations, deeper community engagement and a continued focus on credibility, fairness and impact,” he added.
“Last year’s awards were a major milestone, from the quality of nominees and the strength of public participation to the podcast series Winners’ Edition, and the extensive coverage across Woman This Month, Bahrain This Month, Gulf Daily News and our digital platforms.
“The 2025 experience showed us how much appetite there is for a platform that celebrates women not only for individual success, but for leadership, resilience, creativity and service to the wider community. We are now looking forward to making the 2026 edition even stronger, more inclusive and more inspiring,” Mr Middleton said.
WOTYA 2026 features 21 honours across five main categories: Business, Innovation and Technology; Creative Industries and the Orange Economy; Health, Education and Social Impact; Hospitality and Sports; and Media, Communications, Advocacy and Public Engagement. The programme will also include a special Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring a woman whose long-standing contribution has helped shape Bahrain’s society, industry or culture.
Talking about her experience at last year’s edition, Bahraini creative entrepreneur Eman Sharif, who was honoured as the Orange Economy Rising Star, said: “The Woman of the Year title challenged me to create even greater impact. Since receiving it, I have carried the responsibility of representing Bahraini women on a global stage with purpose, authenticity, and ambition. The greatest reward has not been the trophy but seeing others believe that their own dreams are within reach. That is the true legacy of recognition.”
For her part, Woman in Visual Arts winner 2025 Thajba Najeeb recounted that winning the award gave her a sense of accomplishment, like she was finally ‘seen’ for all the work that goes on behind the scenes. “As women we should support each other. I look forward to more collaborations in the arts so together we can elevate the art scene in the kingdom,” added the art educator from Saar, who has Pakistani roots, echoing the core sentiment of the awards – wider community service.
Nominations for WOTYA 2026 are open until August 31, with nominees required to be current residents or citizens of Bahrain. Details of the event’s date and venue will be announced shortly.
To nominate a deserving candidate, visit www.womanoftheyearawards.com.
For event sponsorships and partnerships contact george@redhousemarketing.com, amna@redhousemarketing.com, or alison.lillywhite@tradearabia.net.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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