Between a Growing Presence and the Challenges of Creating Influence
The issue of the Arab woman in literary and cultural journalism is no longer simply a question related to the level of presence or the number of female names appearing on the media and cultural scene. This issue has become much deeper because it is connected to the place of women in the production of knowledge, the formation of public opinion, the development of cultural awareness and the formulation of discourse that expresses society and its transformations.
In this context, the Global Forum for Journalism and Media GFJM organized, in cooperation with the Kuwait Journalists Syndicate and the Arab Union of Journalists, Media Professionals and Arab Intellectuals, an international seminar entitled “The Position of Arab Women in Arab Literary and Cultural Journalism”, presented by Dr Raqia Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, a writer, entrepreneur and management consultant.
The seminar came within the framework of the growing interest in the role of Arab women in journalism, literature and culture as well as in the context of the rapid transformations taking place on the Arab and international media scene. The seminar addressed several issues related to women’s presence, their areas of influence, the challenges they have faced as well as the new opportunities offered by digital media and modern technologies.
During the seminar, Dr Raqia Ibrahim Al-Sheikh presented the model of Kuwaiti women as a clear example of the evolution of Arab women’s presence in the fields of journalism, literature, culture and professional life. She highlighted the influential presence that Kuwaiti women have gained in public life as well as the advanced roles they have achieved in the fields of knowledge, media, culture and community action. She affirmed that the Kuwaiti experience reflected an important aspect of Arab women’s ability to develop their presence and contribute to building society and raising awareness while preserving the specificity of each Arab experience and the diversity of its circumstances and paths.
From Recipients of Discourse to Creators of It
The presence of Arab women on the cultural and media scene has undergone profound transformations over the past decades. Women have gradually moved from being subjects of media and literary discourse to becoming essential actors in the production and formulation of that discourse. The presence of Arab female journalists, writers, media professionals, researchers and intellectuals has become an essential component of the broader scene. The real question is no longer whether women can enter the media and cultural fields but rather how to measure their influence and their ability to create a new discourse that reflects society’s issues, diversity and transformations.
Women are therefore no longer merely recipients of media and cultural content. They have become content producers, actors in public opinion and participants in formulating the issues that concern society.
Between Stereotypes and Reality
Despite the remarkable development in the presence of Arab women, certain stereotypes continue to influence the way women are presented in the media and culture. Arab women are not a single model. They experience different realities depending on society, environment, education, profession and social and cultural conditions. Therefore, cultural media must present a more diverse and realistic image of Arab women and provide space for new voices that still remain away from the spotlight.
It is also important not to reduce women to predetermined roles or evaluate their presence solely through their image. Arab women have diverse experiences in the fields of knowledge, professional life and culture that deserve to be part of the Arab media discourse.
Digital Media: A New Opportunity
Digital media have opened vast spaces for Arab women to express themselves, publish and reach audiences directly. Female journalists, writers and intellectuals can now produce their own content and build their audiences without relying entirely on traditional media institutions. This transformation has given women greater ability to choose the issues they wish to address and to build an independent presence in the media and cultural sphere. However, these opportunities have also been accompanied by new challenges such as cyberbullying, hate speech, online harassment, the dissemination of misleading information and the decline of certain professional verification standards.
The responsibility of women in media and culture has therefore become even more important in preserving credibility, professionalism and the ability to present influential and responsible content.
Is the Issue About Accessing a Position or Creating Influence?
Among the important ideas that emerged in this context was the idea presented by Ms Nadia Abdallah Al-Othmani regarding the nature of women’s influence in society.
She stated that a woman does not necessarily need to reach a leadership position or hold an official position in order to have a major influence. A woman may remain outside official leadership positions while still possessing the ability to influence society through her ideas, writings, initiatives, professional and cultural relationships as well as her ability to reach people and contribute to raising awareness.
This vision is highly significant because it redefines the concept of success. A position is not necessarily the only criterion for a woman’s success or presence. The influence of a woman who does not hold an official position may exceed that of a woman who holds such a position if she possesses the ability to produce ideas, advance public debate and bring about real and lasting change. Influence thus becomes a broader concept than official authority. A book can contribute to building collective awareness. An article can change a position. A cultural initiative can pave the way for new generations. And a sincere voice can reach a wider audience than any official position.
Therefore, women’s empowerment should not be limited to access to leadership positions but should also include access to the tools of knowledge, expression, creativity and participation in building collective awareness.
Within the framework of the seminar, the remarks of the President of the Kuwait Journalists Syndicate emphasized the importance of the role played by women on the Arab journalistic and media scene. He stated that women had become essential partners in producing the media message and that journalistic and media institutions were called upon to benefit from women’s skills and provide a professional environment that would allow women to fully exercise their role.
In his remarks on women’s ability to reach positions of influence and decision-making, he cited Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as an international model demonstrating that women are capable of reaching the highest levels of responsibility and actively participating in decision-making.
The model of Giorgia Meloni represents an example of women’s transition from participation in public life to a direct position in political decision-making and confirms that women’s access to positions of responsibility can be the natural result of competence, experience, leadership ability and a willingness to assume responsibility. He also emphasized that the presence of women in positions of responsibility should not be viewed merely as female representation but as a genuine added value for institutions and societies when it is based on competence, experience and the ability to assume responsibilities.
At the same time, access to a position should not be the sole criterion for evaluating a woman’s success. A position can provide its holder with a broad sphere of influence but real influence can also be achieved through thought, creativity and cultural, media and community work. This approach highlights the importance of moving from viewing women as merely participating elements to recognizing them as genuine partners in media and cultural decision-making.
From Representation to Partnership
Dr Hany Khater, President of the Global Forum for Journalism and Media, affirmed that the next stage must move beyond the concept of symbolic representation of women toward genuine partnership. He explained that the issue of women’s empowerment should not remain at the level of slogans or superficial presence but should be transformed into real practice within media and cultural institutions and Arab societies.
He stated that women must be present in decision-making spaces as well as in media and cultural institutions and in the areas of planning, development and leadership and not only in spaces where they present content. The presence of women in positions of responsibility gives them the ability to participate effectively in formulating policies, making decisions and shaping the direction of media and cultural work.
Khater explained that this issue is particularly important in Arab societies where certain manifestations of patriarchal thinking remain clearly present. Therefore, women’s access to leadership positions should not be regarded merely as a professional advantage or numerical representation but as a necessary step toward breaking the traditional barriers that have long limited women’s presence in spaces of influence.
He affirmed that women’s access to leadership positions can contribute to changing stereotypical perceptions of their abilities and demonstrate in practice that they are capable of leading, making decisions and assuming responsibility. Their presence in positions of power and influence can also open the way for new generations of women and make women’s participation in leadership a natural and legitimate reality rather than an exception.
He emphasized that confronting patriarchal thinking does not mean entering into a conflict between men and women but rather building a more just society in which opportunities for competence and leadership are equal. The objective is not to exclude men from positions of responsibility but to end the monopoly over these positions based on gender and allow both women and men to access them according to competence, experience and the ability to achieve results.
It is not about granting a woman an opportunity simply because she is a woman but about opening the way for competence, talent and the ability to create. True equality does not simply mean increasing the number of women in institutions but also means ensuring that they have genuine opportunities to access positions of influence, advance, participate in decision-making and contribute to shaping the future.
Toward More Diverse Arab Media
The strength of Arab media is measured not only by the number of institutions or platforms but by their ability to represent society in all its diversity. Arab women are not simply part of the audience addressed by the media. They are also partners in producing the media message as well as in creating knowledge and culture. Therefore, strengthening women’s presence in literary and cultural journalism represents an essential step toward more diverse Arab media that are better able to express the social and intellectual transformations taking place in the region.
The Responsibility of Media and Cultural Institutions
The responsibility for developing women’s presence cannot be assumed by women alone. Media and cultural institutions bear an essential responsibility for creating a fair professional environment that enables women’s skills to advance and develop.
This responsibility includes providing continuous training, supporting creative initiatives, encouraging female journalists and writers to explore new fields as well as opening opportunities for them to participate in decision-making.
Institutions are also called upon to combat any form of discrimination, stereotyping or exclusion that could limit women’s ability to advance professionally and culturally.
The seminar was not simply a discussion about the presence of Arab women in journalism, literature and culture. It was an attempt to raise a deeper question about the nature of influence and the spaces through which women can contribute to shaping the future. The ideas and models presented during the seminar confirmed that women do not need to compete with men to prove their presence but rather need an equitable space to demonstrate their competence, creativity and ability to influence.
The experience of Kuwaiti women presented by Dr Raqia Ibrahim Al-Sheikh also confirmed that Arab experiences offer multiple models from which valuable lessons can be drawn. The vision of Ms Nadia Abdallah Al-Othmani confirmed that influence is not necessarily linked to a position or an official function. Meanwhile, the experience of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered another model of women’s ability to reach the highest levels of decision-making.
Thus, the question is not simply whether a woman reaches a position or obtains a space in the media. Rather, it is whether she possesses the ability to create an impact and whether her presence is real, active and sustainable.
Together toward an active presence of Arab women in the journalistic, literary and cultural landscape and toward more aware and diverse Arab media.
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