Thoughts ahead of International Women's Day - Building intentional solidarity.

Two decades ago, when I joined the workforce as a bright-eyed, fresh graduate enthralled by all things tech, I was ready to Change The World?. But how could I get started, when wherever I turned, I found a severe lack of women leaders who could guide me on this quest?

I've been in more rooms than I can count where I was the only woman on the table - a table hard fought to get a seat at. I've watched with sadness as many women stagnated in their careers because they did not have the right mentors to guide them. I've been disheartened at how there were so few women leaders I could turn to, to seek inspiration from.

We were way overdue a radical change.

And change begins from home.

My early experiences have led me to make women's inclusion in all spaces my life's mission. Whether it be empowering women through WomenSpark to get upskilled and business savvy to transform their ideas into successful ventures or through curating insightful gatherings with my Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) ladies to create lasting connections that go beyond just this organization.

We want to walk the talk. Since its inception, DCO has grown organically to more than 40% women's representation in the workforce, with equal representation in leadership roles. No special effort had to be undertaken, except for the fact that we open the door wide. We accept women as they are, without requiring them to step out of their feminine energy and strengths. We see them for who they are beyond their function at work.

Take these amazing ladies, while they are daughters, mothers, wives, sisters...they are also polyglots, musicians, budding entrepreneurs, Taekwondo students, and even pilots in training!

They are multifaced and it is precisely this that makes their work exceptional.

When I looked around the table during our DCO ladies gathering, I couldn't be any more convinced that this is what we need more of - Women's networks and safe spaces where they can be themselves. Women becoming steps for each other to climb up and reach for the stars.

We need to bridge the gap between talent and resources, knowing there's an abundance of opportunities out there for every one of us, on the other side. Paraphrasing what HRH Reema Bandar A. said so eloquently, if we aren't invited to the table, we are more than capable of creating our own where everyone is welcome.

With solidarity and sisterhood,

Deemah AlYahya

Alaa Abdulaal Manel Bondi, ADIT, EPTP, ComTax Haneen Al Fares Tiphaine Lagarde Reham Elmayet Suheer Drwesh (Sue) Nour Younis Yara Baz Radwan Nazreen Fazal Lina Almuakat Karen du Preez Nuha Alhashash (Ph.D.) Omnia Hamza Lamya Alaqeel , PMP? Asema Haq Tahreer Saad, SHRM (ACHRM) Lamis Aldawsari Najla K. Alsehli Asma Albaqawi Zeenat Motalieb Nadine Badreddine Abeer Abdulaziz AlNkhylan Reem Altamimi Reem Kassis Jawaher Abdullah Batol R.