Celebrating Iranian-American Women On International Women’s Day

Celebrated globally on March 8th, International Women's Day represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of inspirational women while calling for greater equality. It is in this spirit that I would like to highlight the acts of courage and determination by these seven extraordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their communities.

In many countries around the world, women remain an untapped economic potential. According to the International Labor Organization, there are 812 million women living in developing countries with the potential to contribute more fully to their economies. Furthermore, there is a direct correlation between the policies in place to support women, the opportunities available to women and women's success in business. How do you think empowering women has the potential to shape society?

Nikmanesh: Shaping a society is directly related to creating a balance. Creating a true understanding among both genders that assuming "roles" assigned to us by the norms dictated by society only creates a predisposition to further believing or the illusion that deviating from these roles would throw the society into an imbalance. And hence stalling us from expressing the desire to explore, experience and expand.

Ravanbach: Empowering women has a direct effect on their earning power and economic freedom. This freedom, In turn, allows a woman to not only make decisions that better her personal living standards but it also allows a woman to raise the next generation of children with a different perspective than what was, perhaps, handed down to them. This is of utmost importance in developing countries where the models of power have been etched in stone mostly by laws that limit the socioeconomic fluidity for women. The generational benefits of economic freedom are long term, as are the benefits of having a diverse working force where women can contribute to the larger picture of helping emerging countries have a voice as international players.

I recently started a second branch of my business in the middle east and a greater majority of my working incentive has been partnering up with women and contributing to their economic freedom. Giving these women the opportunity to run and establish their own careers will eventually shift the models and policies that have made them, for a lack of a better word, second hand citizens. And nothing makes me more proud than watching these girls roll up their sleeves and take their futures into their own hands.

Women still represent only five of Fortune 500 CEOs. And more worrisome is that the number has been stagnant for a decade. What do you believe is the solution? Sheryl Sandberg

Akhlaghi: I believe that the untapped economic potential we discussed in developing countries, can also be witnessed in mature economic markets. The fact that women represent five percent of the Fortune 500 CEOs, directly points to the lack of strong networks and support systems for women. A new study released by the Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute (GEDI), and funded by Dell, evaluated 30 economies considered developed or developing. The results of the study showed that more than 75 percent of these countries failed to meet the fundamental conditions necessary for females to prosper in business environments. The study went on to identify the favorable conditions needed to enable women to thrive in those same environments. Key recommendations were to "implement support programs to activate the growth of high-potential women" and furnish "leadership training." Linking women at the top with women seeking to move up in the direction of CEO, is critical. Mentor/mentee relationships are vital to the process. It is smart business to invest in the woman. It's sound thinking for the workplace community.

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