What does it mean to have an Arab woman as prime minister?

The appointment comes at a time of great uncertainty and turmoil in Tunisia and the stakes are high for Professor Bouden-Romdhane. The nation took a hard hit following the Covid-19 pandemic and is plagued with rising inflation, soaring unemployment rates and high levels of conflict between the ruling party and other political entities.

But all that aside, this is a monumental moment for Arab society, where women have empowered and supported their communities for centuries and now have a role model set to lead an Arab nation in an official capacity.

Professor Bouden-Romdhane’s appointment represents a very significant leap forward – an Arab woman has finally joined the ranks of European, Australian, Asian and African women who have taken up the mantel of leading their nations.

It also represents a moment that Arab women have been waiting for, for far too long. We are proud to see one of our own take on a challenging and impactful role to serve in the second most senior government position in an Arab country.

Tunisia Prime Minister Najla Bouden-Romdhane.

As with previous senior level governmental appointments of women in our region, a number of experts have voiced their skepticism about the Tunisian government, believing this is just a nominal appointment made to feign progress on the gender equality front. Others have even dubbed it ‘ceremonial’.

I cannot comment on the real reasons behind the move, but I wholeheartedly commend the precedent that it sets.

Research has proven that creating and presenting role models is key to inspiring future generations, allowing them to dream and manifest themselves following the footsteps of their beloved leaders and public figures.

They are an essential component of our societal fabric. But Arab women are lacking in terms of representation, despite possessing the talent, education and drive it takes to make it to the top.

Books about successful women do not have Arab representation and mainstream media does not give the contemporary Arab woman the platform to share her thoughts, while board rooms continue to be dominated by men and decorated by their portraits. Scarcity of representation in the public sphere exacerbates gender inequality and we must work to fight this.

Iris Bohnet, professor of Business and Government and co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School, has noted that role models are far more instrumental in women’s professional advancement than they are for men. ‘How can you trigger counter stereotypical associations between gender and leadership if you don’t present role models?’ she asks in her book, What Works.

Arab women are lacking in terms of representation, despite possessing the talent, education and drive it takes to make it to the top.

Bohnet also emphasises the importance of what she refers to as experimental evidence, meaning decisions that take place without much planning or debate. This very aptly describes the circumstances of Professor Bouden-Romdhane’s appointment as prime minister, and as Professor Bohnet’s work suggests, seeing is believing.

Today, we celebrate this win for Arab women, Arab men and society as a whole. We celebrate an accomplished professional who boasts a successful career trajectory and impressive credentials. She is a respected engineer and professor who has worked on a number of strategic projects, most recently with Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and the World Bank on education reform programs.

Her appointment is undoubtedly inspiring young women across the Arab region to dream about assuming the position of prime minister and other impactful leadership roles across myriad fields. That alone is proof that our society is progressing.

I am excited for a new era of gender equality in the Arab region. One where every girl, every woman is confident in her ability to use her talent and fulfill her aspirations, however big and however ambitious.

I personally live by a quote shared by Professor Efosa Ojomo (research fellow at Harvard Business School and Global Prosperity Lead and fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute) in a seminar I attended in 2020: “Let us seek progress, not perfection!” I recently heard this quote again – a sign from the universe I like to think, and also of things to come.

In the span of one year, we have now witnessed the selection of the first Arab female astronaut in the UAE, the incredible Nora Al-Matrooshi, the appointment of seven female ministers in the Moroccan government and the appointment of the first Arab female prime minister, the accomplished Najla Bouden-Romdhane. That I would argue, is definitely progress.

Samar Alshorafa, founding CEO, She is Arab.