Creating communities where women can thrive

Wings to fly

According to the founder of the Middle East Chapter of Women in Aviation, Mervat Sultan, women are increasingly represented in the aviation sector, and the aim now is to assist the industry in ensuring the right skills sets and capabilities for its future needs.

RX has been working with the Middle East Chapter since 2013 to accelerate positive change for women in aviation at the Airport Show in Dubai. Today, the Women in Aviation (WIA) Conference continues to play a pioneering role in bringing international aviation leaders, inspirational role models, and hundreds of college and university students together to discuss the challenges women face, and how to overcome them.

There was certainly no shortage of encouragement from keynote speaker Nour Utayim at the 2023 conference. Addressing a packed room, Nour shared her own incredible journey to becoming a commercial pilot. Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, until 2012 when war broke out, she began a new life in Canada as a refugee. She had always wanted to follow in her father's footsteps, just as he followed his own father's path. Thanks to her determination, and the support of her family and generous sponsors, she is now a third-generation pilot for Air Inuit in Canada.

At the Women in Aviation event an exclusive awards programme also honoured key women who are helping to drive gender diversity in the industry, while a dedicated CV drop off facility was provided to allow students and graduates to apply for jobs and internships at the event.

In the driving seat

Road freight is the main logistics mode in Brazil accounting for 65% of produce transported overland. So, it’s no surprise that Fenatran, held every two years in Sao Paulo, is one of the most important transport and logistics trade fairs in the world.

While only 3.4% of drivers qualified to drive trucks, buses and trailers in 2022 were women, the same year saw a 61% increase in the number of women hired in the Road Cargo Transport sector in Sao Paulo alone (IPTC). Inspired by this positive development, and determined to move the dial further, Fenatran launched a major new initiative in 2022 called ‘With Women at Fenatran’ to support and expand women’s representation in the sector.

Working with other women-focused initiatives in the sector, including ‘Vez e Voz’, A Voz Delas by Mercedes-Benz, and Rota Feminina Move, a movement driven by several companies in the transport logistics ecosystem, the Fenatran team put together a rich face to face and digital programme of content designed to give voice and visibility to women in the sector.

This included the 1st Women’s Forum in Transport and Logistics at which expert speakers addressed the challenges encountered in by women in their transport career journey such as inequality in executive and board positions, prejudice, lack of women’s stopping point infrastructure on highways, women’s support networks, and more.

The Women’s Forum at Fenatran returns to Sao Paulo from 4-8 November 2024. In the meantime, check out Fenatran’s monthly curated articles and interviews with women in the cargo transport and logistics sector on the Rota Digital News Blog, Fenatran's news channel.

Women in cybersecurity

While cybersecurity is diversifying to some degree, it remains crucial to have safe spaces for women to network, share stories and learn from each other. This is especially important for those in their early careers as women under 30 make up just 26% of the workforce.

Eight years ago, RX launched the first Women in Cybersecurity networking event at Infosecurity Europe, London, where women could meet to celebrate their achievements in cybersecurity, debate the challenges around diversity, and discuss career opportunities. “From the first year it was hugely popular with standing room only and each year the team have taken it to a new height,” said Senior Event Director, Nicole Mills.

Danni Brooke, former Met police officer and star of Channel 4’s Hunted, was the keynote speaker at last year’s event, at which she shared her account of her life as a female undercover cop, the pressures of trying to balance long work hours with being a mother, and how she transferred her investigative skills to online security. Attendees were also inspired by the 27 year career of Becky Pinkard, Managing Director of Global Cyber Operations at Barclays, who was inducted into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame 2023.

Looking ahead to the eighth annual Women in Cybersecurity event at Infosecurity Europe 2024, (4-6 June, ExCel London) Infosecurity Magazine Editor, Beth Maundrill and her team are looking to move the conversation on. “Most women are aware of the challenges they may face in a male-dominated industry, so it is important to focus on the positives and offer practical advice, like how to overcome imposter syndrome, how to negotiate the next step in your career and how to successfully balance your work and personal life,” said Beth.

Beth is also keen to stress that the event is open to all, not just women: “We know that the success of one group cannot be achieved without allyship. Cybersecurity leaders recognise that having a diverse workforce and variety of thought from people with different backgrounds can be hugely beneficial to security teams, ultimately assisting with the security of organisations as challenges and solutions are viewed through different lenses.”

Challenging taboos around women’s health

‘Let’s talk about women’s health’ was the theme of Femtech Tokyo 2023, the second edition of the event that is helping Japanese women to take control of their health and wellbeing at home, and in the workplace.

‘Femtech’ refers to technologies specifically focused on women’s health, covering a broad range of areas from hormonal disorders and period pain to fertility, birth control, sexual wellness, and the menopause. Japan has the highest number of cases of infertility treatment in the world, and long-held taboos around women’s health make it difficult for women to talk openly about what are perceived in Japan to be ‘delicate’ issues.

The first Femtech Tokyo was held from 20-22 October 2022 to help to disrupt these outdated ideas, drive femtech innovation, and empower women to take control of their wellness. So successful was the event in raising awareness around women’s health, that for 2023, it was extended to incorporate Women’s Mental Health Expo where visitors could participate in stress checks, health consultations and counselling, mental health analysis and visualisation, and more.

Innovation is key to driving improvements in women’s healthcare, and the winner of the Femtech 2023 Awards was 4Moon, an in-all-one healthcare app that allows women to record and manage their menstrual cycle, menopause symptoms, physical condition, diet and more, through all their life stages.

In 2024, a more comprehensive event for women’s health and empowerment of all ages will take place called Fem+, combining Femtech Tokyo and the Women’s Mental Health Care Expo and incorporating Fem Next, a dedicated area for start-ups that have been established for less than three years and are creating innovative next-generation femtech services. Fem+ will be held at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan, from October 17–19, 2024.

At the top table

Every year, studios, distributors, producers, agencies and buyers from around the world gather at MIP markets in Cannes, Cancun and Cape Town, to showcase content, network, strike distribution and co-production deals, attend high-level conferences – and celebrate and support equal opportunities for women in the industry.

MIPCOM has hosted the ‘Women in Global Entertainment Power Lunch’ in association with A+E Networks each year since 2012. In 2023, Hollywood Reporter's co-editor-in-chief Nekesa Moody Mumbi joined ITV Studios' Ruth Berry, Universal International Studios' Beatrice Springborn and A+E’s Melissa Madden on stage for an inspiring and upbeat discussion on ‘Redefining the F-Word’ (Feminism), with the women calling for a shift in focus from individual striving by women to broader support of female colleagues across the board.

Part of Fame Week Africa, MIP Africa held its first annual ‘Women in Entertainment Breakfast’ in Cape Town in September 2023, providing an essential opportunity for female professionals form music film and television to connect with each other, share their experiences, and discuss ways to overcome the challenges that they face in the industry. Keynote speaker Mo Abudu, the renowned Nigerian media mogul and television host, recently named as the Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Top International Executive in Entertainment’, said the event left her feeling ‘incredibly inspired.’

Up next, on 10^th April 2024 in Cannes, is the milestone 10^th edition of MIPTV’s International Women in Global Entertainment Mentoring Breakfast, presented in collaboration with MediaClub’Elles. At the event, attendees gather at tables, each with a senior industry mentor, to discuss their challenges, share their solutions, forge networking bonds, and celebrate together in the spirit of growth and empowerment.

Towards gender equity in travel

World Travel Market’s commitment to promoting gender equity in travel goes back to 2013, where Women In Travel (CIC)  founder Alessandra Alonso first raised the idea of starting a women focused ‘meetup’ at WTM London. The commitment to equality and raising awareness now runs across all WTM shows, including in the Middle East – through Arabian Travel Market, Africa, Latin America as well as London. Partnerships have evolved since its start and WTM now work with a variety of associations and partners, including AWTE and Aptamind.

“I am very grateful to the WTM Global team for believing in the early concept in the first place and for letting me venture into what was then rather unchartered territory for the show,” said Alessandra. “What’s more, the event actually has given way to a fully-fledged social enterprise which now runs many events throughout the year and provides both entrepreneurship and employability support to women who are or intend to be involved in travel, tourism and hospitality.”

At WTM London 2023, WTM extended their promotion and coverage on equity, launching the Diversity and Inclusion Summit, tabling issues within the sector around gender, as well as ethnicity, age, sexual orientation and disability. WTM London pledges to ensure 50% of its conference speakers come from under-represented groups, ensuring WTM provides an inclusive space for all.