Fatema Haider: The power of investing in women and advancing women in tech

In celebration of International Women’s Day, UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) honors women in tech. The list of such remarkable women includes Fatema Haider, Senior Manager - Corporate Sustainability, Inclusivity and Culture at Zain Bahrain. Fatema’s journey demonstrates the power of investing in women and advancing equitable workplaces within the tech industry.

“I started my career in the customer service department at a young age, and over the years, I have been fortunate to have a robust support system,” says Fatema. Fatema’s dedication and talent soon led her to the Human Resources – Organizational Development Function. Eventually, she embraced the challenge of advancing Corporate Sustainability, aiming to make a broader impact that extended beyond the workforce to the community and the country. Her role now encompasses overseeing Corporate Sustainability, Inclusivity, and Culture, aligning with the organization's commitment to knowledge, impact, and a comprehensive view of culture and sustainability.

Fatema was one of the first representatives of Zain Bahrain to advocate for the advancement of women, a direction set by Zain Group in 2017. With her team’s support, she has initiated policy enhancements, awareness sessions, capacity-building training and more, all under the overall objective of promoting gender equity and parity in the tech industry. Among her projects, in  cooperation with the Bahrain Supreme Council for Women and Clever Play, is the ‘Girls for Tech’ programme, primarily focusing on digital literacy and the empowerment of Bahraini women in the tech sector.

According to Fatema, investing in women includes enhancing their access to and participation in the economy through skills training, funding, entrepreneurship programmes, and advocating for gender equality and equal opportunities in all fields. It also includes promoting social and career progression, funding education from a young age, and the improvement of women’s health and welfare. Fatema believes that when there are more women in leadership, this will ultimately enable diversity of opinion to come into play, boosting decision making and problem solving.

Zain Bahrain’s dedication to women’s advancement is a core value of the Zain corporate culture. Initiatives include mentorship programmes, leadership training, targeted training workshops, and strategic awareness campaigns pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The company also encourages gender-conscious recruitment practices and policies that target attracting high-quality female talents to help foster an environment where women can develop and prosper.

Zain Bahrain takes pride in championing inclusivity and gender equity. “Women's advancement isn't just a concept for us, it's a commitment deeply ingrained in our culture, and an ongoing conversation with our management team. Our investment in the women who are part of our team is continuous,” says Fatema.

To this end, a more diverse as well as supportive workplace has been achieved with 48% of new hires being female in 2023 and the increasing presence of women in management positions. Fatema’s accomplishments include her support of women in the tech industry and her input to Zain Bahrain’s initiatives that help promote women’s advancement and empowerment. In her opinion, achieving such an environment for women in tech involves diversity and inclusion efforts, equal career progression opportunities, flexible work opportunities and mentorship and networking initiatives.

Fatema calls on women the world over celebrating International Women’s Day, particularly those interested in the tech industry, to remain strong, resilient and continue championing equal livelihoods and representation. She pictures a future where more women are involved and thriving in the tech industry, with leadership positions fueled by diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, mentorship programmes, and the promotion of equal opportunity.

Fatema Haider is a testimony to the power of investing in women; not only for their own benefit, but for the tech industry and society at large. Her work at Zain Bahrain is representative of how organizations provide a supportive workplace for women and allow them to emerge as valued contributors in the technology sphere.