We invite you to meet the 20 amazing young Danish and Egyptian women who joined hands in the network, Women Take the Lead. Their experience exceeded all expectations – some would even say it was life-changing – and we are excited to share it with you.
Read Women Take the Lead 2021. Find below the foreword by DEDI Coordinator Pernille Bramming.
Equality in leadership is high on the agenda, not the least in Denmark and Egypt. And we Danes and Egyptians have very good reason to join hands: When it comes to the ratio of women to men employed in senior roles as “legislators, senior officials and managers”, Denmark is ranking number 101 while Egypt is ranking number 129 out of 156 countries according to The Global Gender Report 2021.
One way of addressing the lack of equality, especially when it comes to leadership, is to enhance networking. Traditionally, women have been offered less opportunities in professional networking than men, and this is recognized as a factor hindering women to advance in their careers.
With all that in mind, in 2021 DEDI initiated the Women Take the Lead Network to offer professional women a space for networking and cultural dialogue. The Danish Management Society (VL), specifically the VL-107 Group that have only women members, was a key inspiration for the network.
The Danish Management Society (VL) is committed to fostering and encouraging knowledge and understanding of modern leadership. Accordingly, the aim is to contribute to the financial success, social progress and general improvement of the conditions of society.
Given the experience of the Women Take the Lead Network in 2021, we can proudly state that the twenty Danish and Egyptian members are not only sharing this aim but have also made substantial contributions to achieving it – and that is all the more impressive since they are all younger than 35 years.
As women in “senior roles”, our twenty young Egyptian and Danish women are among “those who plan, direct, coordinate and evaluate the overall activities of enterprises, governments and other organizations, or of organizational
units within them, and formulate and review their policies, laws, rules and regulations”, as according to the definition.
It goes without saying, that they meet a lot of challenges. Meanwhile, sharing these challenges; sharing thoughts, experiences, knowledge, doubts and hopes showed to be even more redeeming than anyone had expected.
By publishing this booklet, we want to share these wonderful experiences with many more women. It’s our hope, that it will spur women to reach out and join networks. Also, we hope to see this dialogue between Danish and Egyptian women leaders continue and inspire them to venture up the ladders.
March 2022
Pernille Bramming,
Coordinator