Everybody loves lists. We all make them, we await them and hold on to them as seemingly validating methods of objective legitimacy. Across the world, everybody puts them out at the dawn of a new year – Forbes, Time, FastCompany and endless publications work tirelessly at year’s end to tell the world who the next game changers are going to be, who we must pay attention to and who we must emulate.
The Arab world is no different in that regard. We have our own lists: the infamous and increasingly colorful Ahlan Hot 100, the moola-heavy Forbes Arabia Rich List, even Wamda compiled it own Twittersphere influencers list.
In January 2012, Arabian Business published a report titled 100 Most Powerful Arab Women. The Arabian Business list provided no rationale or criteria by which the names were selected, many countries were left out, including Iraq, Libya and Comoros Islands to name a few and limited its selection to a set number of industries. This tally of powerful women left a number of questions unanswered: How do we define power? Influence? How do we define ‘Arab’ women? What constitutes ‘Arab’? What makes a powerful Arab woman – industry? contribution to GDP, budget controlled or someone’s definition of what a ‘powerful’ woman should be? Whose definition is privileged? By what standards do we select?
The list below in no way attempts to claim objectivity – quite the contrary. As the title suggests, the list is entirely subjective – as all lists are. It does not aim to challenge or negate the list provided by Arabian Business, rather, it seeks to add to the already comprehensive and deserving list of names 100 more women who are equally deserving of recognition. It does not privilege a country over another, an industry over the next or an ideology over its nemesis.They come from across the entire Arab world and exert power in a multitude of industries, activities and across various definitions of power. The women below are powerful in that they are influencers, changemakers, teachers, rebels, refuseniks, creators, artists, thinkers, innovators, motivators, leaders and above all but a slice of their diverse societies and an even more diverse Arab world.
Without further adieu, a subjective list of 100 powerful Arab women – in no particular order:
1. Nawara Negm
3. Sakina m’Sa
6. Dima Khatib
7. Naha Mint Ould Mouknass
9. Rim Turkmani
10. Badrya Al Beshr
11. Lila Abu Lughod
13. Zainab Salbi
14. Dr Manal Taryam
17. Nadine Toukan
18. Aysha Taryam
19. Mona Kareem
22. Huwaida Arraf
23. Fartun Weli
24. Huda Al Attas
25. Noura Erekat
26. Lubna Hussein
28. Afra Al Basti
30. Shadia Mansour
32. Zeina Khodr
34. Buthaina Al Ebrahim
35. Péri Cochin
36. Asmaa Mahfouz
37. Leila Labidi
38. Zleikha Muhtaseb
39. Lamya Gargash
40. Annemarie Jacir
42. Hind Mezaina
43. Samia Halaby
47. Intisar Al Aqeel
48. Julia Boutros
49. Hafsa Al Ulama
50. Maysoon Zayid
51. Jenan Moussa
52. Soultana
53. Laila El Haddad
54. Reem Acra
55. Helen Thomas
56. Ilwad Elman
57. Hebah Ahmed
58. Maryam Khawaja
59. Hayv Kahraman
60. Huda Nunu
61. Khadija Safari
62. Tala Badri
63. Sinan Al Ahmad
64. Lina Matta
65. Sausan Al Shaer
66. Maryam Bin Fahad
67. Rima Maktabi
68. Mayyasa Al Thani
69. Ghida Fakhry
70. Nawal Al Hosany
72. Munira Buruki
73. Razan Al Mubarak
74. Mona Seif
75. Fajer Al Saeed
77. Hayat Al Fahad
78. Samira Al Saad
79. Joumana Haddad
80. Dr Ebtisam Al Kitbi
81. Amira Yahyaoui
82. Hoor Al Qassimi
83. Souad Massi
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84. Sandi Hilal
85. Maha Gargash
86. Wedad Al Badawi
87. Najwa Karam
88. Laila El Houni
90. Dr Aysha Belkhair
92. Larissa Sansour
94. Maya Mikdashi
95. Hind Beljaflah
96. Arwa Aburawa
97. Farah Al Attassi
98. Nahla Al Fahad
99. Jamila Al Neyadi
100. Hiam Abbass
مرحبا بثينة ممنونة جداً للاختيار، سؤال ممكن أعرف من آنتم وكيف تم الاختيار والترشيح ؟وأشكرك مجدداً وآنتظر الرد بارك الله فيك
مرحبا أخت جميلة. أتا باحثة فلبرايت من الإمارات في الولايات المتحدة. الإختيار تم بناءً على رأيي الشخصي كما تم التوضيح. شكراً
An interesting attemp to defy what seemingly controls the “top” lists. How to make this post even better? Provide your subjective feedback on each of your choices. As you have mentioned those people are usually in the dark when they shouldn’t be. Please do not stop writing, we all need a refreshing read every once in a while by someone who actually asks why and decides to have a say about it.
Huda Nunu? Seriously? Funny thing is you have her listed a few spots after Maryam A. As acting Ambassador of Bahrain she has blood on her hands. Would you stand for Ambassador Imad Mustafa from Syria to be on a list of most powerful men? Great names overall, great attempt at putting together a list, but some of your selections are laughable at best. Clear disconnect with what the community feels.
Power does not always connote positive impact as is explicitly clear. If you do not agree with the selection, then the list has served one of its many purposes. I encourage you to create your own. Best.
I never knew that Shohat identified as an Arab. It seems like,a bunch of celebrities in one way or another- cute attempt.
Ella Shohat identifies as an Arab-Jew. You can review her reflections in the following article: http://www.bintjbeil.com/E/occupation/arab_jew.html
Butheina, Great idea. very interesting. Surprised to not find mona eltahawy on your list. (even though I get the “subjective” part of the title)
Mona El Tahawy made it to the Arabian Business list – this list expands on that.
Thanks Butheina for this and even bigger thanks for including me. Some great women I admire are included here, so very honored to be even in the same list. High five to all the sisters who are doing it for themselves!
وين الفنانة الكبيره الاماراتية احلام الشامسي؟؟ احلام المفروض تكون من الاوائل! شو هذا التجاهل لمسيرتها الكبيره في الفن! احلام عندها شخصية قوية واثبتت وجودها،، بدات من الصفر ( مدرسة لغه عربية و دين بدبي و بعدين مغنية في الاعراس) وشوفوا وين وصلت! وتراها تعتبر اغنى فنانة عربيه! والحين كثار من بنات الخليج يقلدونها واصبحت ظاهره،،،احلام كافحت ولها مسيره اكثر من ١٨ سنه في الفن وهي فنانة الخليج الاولى