‘Her Voice’ raises the volume on women's empowerment in the Middle East

As a company that is committed to building an inclusive digital economy, Mastercard is passionate about women’s empowerment. We have pledged to bring 25 million women entrepreneurs worldwide into the digital economy by 2025, and we hit this milestone in June 2023 – two years ahead of the deadline. But this does not mean our work is done – in fact, we are stepping up our efforts to benefit even more women across the globe. An integral part of our work is spotlighting the groundbreaking achievements of inspiring women and amplifying their compelling stories.

One country where we have found fertile ground is Saudi Arabia, which is undergoing an ambitious transformation, with women playing a leading role in driving this change. To motivate women in the Kingdom and beyond to realize their full potential, we launched the podcast series ‘Her Voice’ in 2022. Now in its third season, presented in partnership with SAUDIA, the nation’s flag carrier, the award-winning podcast profiles a diverse range of Saudi female pioneers, innovators and business leaders who are pushing boundaries in their fields.

In a new twist, we are translating inspiration into action this year in collaboration with Blossom Accelerator, Saudi Arabia's first accelerator focused on women and tech inclusion. We are co-hosting workshops in three cities, providing budding female entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders with access to all-important learning and networking opportunities. In addition, we are organizing a competition that challenges innovative women-led startups to share their business concepts for the chance to enter a mentorship program by Blossom Accelerator.

Building on the success of ‘Her Voice’ in Saudi Arabia, we expanded the podcast series to Egypt this July. This pivotal platform brings listeners a unique blend of inspiration and insights from women who dared to break the mold, reshaping the country's landscape over the past decade.

Hosted by the renowned Egyptian actress Mariam El Khosht, each episode unveils the journey of a female trailblazer, sharing her story in her own voice and discussing her personal motivation and her vision for an inclusive future. We also partnered with Entreprenelle, an organization that supports, connects and trains women entrepreneurs, to offer two exceptional female leaders the opportunity to receive a year-long membership and be featured in the podcast.

We envision ‘Her Voice’ as a catalyst for change, igniting a spark in every listener that drives them to contribute positively to their communities. By charting the journeys of incredible female role models across various fields, we seek to inspire the next generation of female changemakers in the region.