He stated she has become "at the heart of the social innovation scene, building and innovating solutions that contribute to the development of her societies through initiatives, projects, and digital solutions that serve the most vulnerable groups in society."
These remarks came during His Excellency the GCC Secretary General's participation in the event "She Builds: Women Innovating Social Solutions for an Inclusive Future" on the sidelines of the 2nd World Summit for Social Development. The event was held today, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, in the Qatari capital, Doha.
The event was attended by Her Excellency Dr Amthal Hadi Al Huwailah, Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs of the State of Kuwait, along with Their Excellencies the Ministers of Social Affairs/Development from the GCC states, members of the GCC Permanent Committee for Women's Affairs, and representatives from regional and international organisations.
His Excellency the GCC Secretary General began his speech by extending his highest sentiments of thanks and gratitude to His Highness Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, for Qatar's hosting of this summit, which reflects its high capabilities in hosting and managing such conferences.
"Today's summit comes thirty years after the historic World Summit for Social Development hosted in Copenhagen in 1995, but this time from Doha, the city of benevolence, which has always been and remains a beacon for dialogue, an international centre that hosts major summits and events, and a meeting place for leaders and decision-makers from around the world to exchange visions and formulate solutions to common challenges."
His Excellency added: "The GCC states have witnessed a quantum leap in women's empowerment, as their presence in the labour market is increasing, which boosts productivity and accelerates economic diversification."
He mentioned that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Bahrain have recorded the highest rates in the Gulf for women's economic participation, with an expanded presence in specialised and leadership professions and support for gender balance policies. He also pointed out that women's participation in the workforce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has risen significantly, reaching 35% of the labor force.
"In Qatar, women participate at a rate of 44% of the workforce. Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Kuwait are continuously working to improve women's participation; women's participation in Oman's workforce reached 34.9% in 2023, while in Kuwait, women's participation in the government sector workforce is approximately 48%." His Excellency explained.
Moreover, His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi stressed that women's empowerment is not just a slogan, "but a fundamental pillar in the journey to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 5, related to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls."
"The Gulf woman today is not only present in the fields of work and education, but has become at the heart of the social innovation landscape, building and innovating solutions that contribute to her community's development through initiatives, projects, and digital solutions that serve the most vulnerable groups in society." His Excellency underlined.
Furthermore, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General said that the objectives of this session include emphasising the importance of working on several future directions to ensure women have a pivotal role in building solutions and making change.
"These objectives are: the necessity of empowering women as leaders and innovators in the social and digital spheres, as societies cannot flourish unless women are part of the solution-crafting process; supporting women's initiatives and social projects through effective financing and incubation mechanisms that transform ideas into practical models that can be scaled locally and globally; affirming the importance of exchanging experiences between different regions to make women's solutions more adaptable to diverse environments and community needs; and enhancing partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society to provide a supportive ecosystem that unleashes women's potential, enabling them to contribute effectively to the development journey as changemakers and partners in building a more just and inclusive future." His Excellency concluded.