'Li Wa Lakum' launches the first edition of 'Women and the Economy' on the 17th and 18th

“Li Wa Lakum,” a Kuwaiti non-profit initiative dedicated to empowering individuals through financial literacy, knowledge sharing, and community development, has announced the launch of the first edition of the “Women and the Economy” conference. The event is scheduled for October 17, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Kuwait Hotel, and October 18, 2026, at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the Investment Companies Union.

The “Women and the Economy” conference provides a prominent platform to enhance women’s economic participation and contribute to building a more inclusive, productive, and sustainable economic future for Kuwait and the region. The two-day event brings together policymakers, chief executive officers, global experts, investors, academics, and emerging female leaders from across the region and beyond, fostering dialogue, analysis, and practical collaboration aimed at achieving tangible results. Meaningful discussions will translate into concrete commitments by linking women’s economic potential with institutions, opportunities, and capital capable of transforming that potential into sustainable impact.

The second session, titled “The Future of Women in the Economy,” moderated by His Excellency Qadasi Rashid, British Ambassador to Kuwait, will focus on the role of artificial intelligence, fintech, and policy in shaping a more inclusive economic landscape.

The conference will feature presentations by Dr. Noura Shuaibi, Head of the Women’s Studies and Research Center at Kuwait University, and Dr. Greg B. Davies, Head of Behavioral Finance at Oxford Risk. The afternoon will include interactive workshops in partnership with the “Kafou” platform, covering AI agents, personal financial health, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. These will be followed by the evening Youth and Children’s Conference, “Our Future in the Economy,” held in collaboration with the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity, providing children and youth with an opportunity for active participation.

The second day of the conference will feature high-level closed-door roundtable discussions titled “From Participation to Economic Contribution: Unlocking Women’s Economic Potential in Kuwait,” hosted at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Investment Companies Union. The session aims to convert ideas into actionable strategies, with its outcomes to be published in a post-event report. The conference will conclude with a dialogue between speakers and students at Kuwait University, in collaboration with the Women’s Studies Unit.

The event aims to provide networking opportunities for participants, empower women across various fields, and promote knowledge exchange to drive economic progress. It also seeks to foster meaningful connections between leaders, innovators, and decision-makers from different sectors. Furthermore, it focuses on empowerment by amplifying women’s voices and leadership in the economic and policy-making arenas, as well as facilitating knowledge exchange through the sharing of insights, research, and global strategies to support women’s economic inclusion.

The first edition of the “Women and the Economy” conference, held over two days in Kuwait, brings together policymakers, chief executive officers, global experts, investors, academics, and emerging female leaders from across the region and beyond.

The conference is supported by a distinguished group of sponsors, including the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, IKEA, National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait Investment Company, Zain, Investment Companies Union, and Al-Nasser and Al-Nashi United Company. It also partners with several entities, including the University of Kuwait, the Direct Investment Promotion Authority, Al-Rai Media Group, Zone Company, Diwaniya Media, the World Health Organization, the “MADE51” program supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the “Kafou” platform.

The sessions on the first day, October 17, will be open to the public, while those on the second day, October 18, 2026, will be restricted to professionals.

For the agenda and registration, visit leiwalakom.com/women-economy or follow the “women_andtheeconomy” Instagram account.