Union of Arab ICT Association Honors Microsoft Gulf with ‘Best Arab Corporate Social Responsibility Award’ of the Year

As recognition for its commitment to empowering women with technology, Microsoft Gulf received the ‘Best Arab Corporate Social Responsibility Award’ of the Year from the Union of Arab ICT Association, IJMA3. The Arab GoldenChip Awards recognize the top organizations in the region who have contributed to the development of ICT in the Arab world.

Aiming to harness ICT towards the fulfillment of critical regional economic-development challenges, IJMA3, an international non-governmental/profit organization presented the award to Microsoft for its overall Citizenship program and its significant contribution in empowering women through programs such as the Women in Technology (WIT) across the MENA region. The WIT program helps equip women with business and technology skills and encourages them to participate in today’s global workforce and gain economic independence. By 2010, WIT will train more than 10,000 low to middle income women in underserved communities across the MENA region.

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WIT is a partnership between Microsoft, IIE, MEPI, and fifty local organizations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen to deliver Microsoft Unlimited Potential, Entrepreneurship and Professional Development training to low and middle income women in underserved areas. The program focuses on five key areas such as Professional Development Training, Business Planning for Sustainability, IT Training through Microsoft's Unlimited Potential (UP) Curriculum, Professional Development Networks for Women, and Professional Exchange and Capacity Building.

source: Al Bawaba http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/UAE/260698