The Contribution of Women to Arab Thought - Monday, January 24, 2011
Date: Mon, 2011-01-24 (All day)
Despite the rapid advances to modernization and the impressive gains in human development, many Arab thinkers continue to underestimate and some even minimize the contributions of women to the social sciences and intellectual life in general. These views are driven by misconceptions about biological constraints, social norms and gender attributes. In this lecture, Dr. Rafia Ghubash, a doctor, academic and writer will address these misconceptions. She will describe how emotions are part and parcel of the intellectual and creative process for both men and women. Her talk will take us on a journey to learn about the valuable contribution that women have made to intellectual life in the Arab world.
About the Speaker
Prof. Rafia Obaid Ghubash was the President of Arabian Gulf University,( 2001 - 2009 ) a GCC sponsored Regional institution based in the Kingdom of Bahrain. She assumed this office in 2001 when she was the Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the UAE University. She is a Full Professor of Psychiatry and Consultant Psychiatrist. She obtained her PhD in Community and Epidemiological Psychiatry from University of London in 1992, and holds both the UK and Arab Board Certificates in Psychiatry (BCO Psych. 1990, and ABCO Psych. 1997). The quality of her teaching and research activities was recognized through advancement from Lecturer and Research Assistant in 1992 to associate and full professor in 2006 ( To be the first Full professor among UAE Women ) . She has headed major research projects and published extensively in her field. Apart from reviewing for specialized scientific international periodicals, she is also an author or co-author of several books.
Prof. Raffia’s many and varied educational, social and intellectual contributions to national, regional and international organizations is reflected in her membership of professional associations and civic organizations, such as WHO’s Scientific Committees, councilor membership of the World Future Council in Germany, membership of the Advisory Council for UNDP, and of the Board of Trustees for the Sheikh Khalifa Educational Awards in UAE. Her many honors and awards include the Rashid Awards for Distinguished Scientist (1988 and 1992), Al-Owais Research Award (1992, 1994 and 1995), Award of Distinction for Citizens from Umalmomenien Women Association (2002), and the Sheikh Hamden bin Rashid Award for Medical Sciences (2003/ 2004).
The hallmark of her presidency of AGU has been the reform of governance and the strategically bold initiatives that would make the University financially more autonomous. Greater transparency has meant greater accountability and hence efficiency. Enterprises such as the establishment of the HH Princess Al-Jawhara Centre for Genetics and Inherited Disorders will not only raise the research and educational profiles of the School of Medicine but also generate revenue that would contribute to increased self-sufficiency. Her stewardship of the University also saw the CMMS win the 2006 Sheikh Hamdan Ibn Rashid Award for the Best Medical School in the Arab World and the designation of the WHO Collaborative Centre for Medical Education for the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
About the Gender and Public Policy Research Seminar Series
The Dubai School of Government hosts a research seminar series focusing on a variety of gender and public policy issues. This series brings prominent researchers, scholars, and practitioners alike to the discussion table to share their research findings and views on opportunities and challenges facing women’s leadership in the Arab world. The seminar series provides a platform for the presentation and discussion of policy-oriented research and fosters an intellectually critical environment where researchers can receive feedback on their projects. The series began in 2007 and to date has hosted a total of 24 seminars covering a variety of issues including (but not limited to) women’s political, economic and social participation, as well as, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and leadership. The seminar series also explored women’s formal and informal involvement in the labor market, social exclusion of women, women and the law, gender equality, education, family, migration, negotiation and conflict resolution. The series has hosted renowned local, regional and international speakers such as: her Excellency Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Assistant Secretary General Regional Bureau of UNDP; Dr. Suad Joseph, University of California, Davis; Dr. Maryam Lootah, Assistant Professor of Political Science; Professor, Hatoon Al Fassi, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia; Dr. Amira Sonbol, Georgetown University Qatar, Dr. Rohini Pande and Reema Hana, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Founder and President of the Center for Work-Life Policy; Dr. Mona Al Bahr, Senior Executive Manager for Social Programmes, The Emirates Foundation.
About the Gender and Public Policy Program
The Dubai School of Government’s Gender and Public Policy Program aims to support theoretically and methodologically rigorous research that conceptualizes and analyzes gender gaps in the Arab world, while linking the research to agendas and instruments for informed policy action. Today, it has become a nexus through which research projects, conferences, training and workshops, policy debates and academic programs on gender concerns are engaged. The program contributes to the academic scholarship on gender and public policy in the Arab world while simultaneously incorporating gender perspectives on public policy into the education of future and current leaders taught and trained at the Dubai School of Government and beyond. The program forges partnerships with academic institutions, private sector organizations, government agencies, and policy makers to act as a platform for influencing public policies affecting the lives of women and men in the Arab world.
Dubai School of Government
Convention Tower, 13th Floor
Monday, January 24, 2011
6:00 pm - Reception
6:30 pm- Lecture
7:00 pm-Q&A
RSVP: genderpublicpolicy@dsg.ac.ae
Tel: +971-4-329-3290
Fax: +971-4-329-3291