The Role of Women Leaders in Building Society: A Field Study in Hadhramaut Governorate

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the level of women's empowerment in accessing leadership positions in institutions and the extent of social support for women in leadership positions. Moreover, it seeks to identify the most prominent challenges women face in accessing leadership positions and the areas where women's leadership in institutions is most prominent. Furthermore, it examines the community role that increases women's ability to assume leadership positions and offers suggestions to enhance women's representation in leadership positions. The researcher reflected the objectives in key questions for the scientific study and relied on the descriptive analytical approach to describe the level of social and functional empowerment of women in Hadhramaut.

The researcher adopted a descriptive-analytical approach to describe the level of social and professional empowerment of women in Hadramawt. A questionnaire was used with a sample of Hadramawt Governorate residents during the years 2025-2026. The study's key findings revealed a weak level of leadership empowerment for women in society, despite some encouragement for them to assume leadership and administrative positions at the middle and lower levels. The study also found that women face significant challenges compared to men in the workplace and in assuming such positions. These challenges include some women's limited ability to solve strategic problems and meet needs with a strategic dimension, as well as the presence of individual factors and personal skills that may prevent women from assuming positions in governmental and private institutions, especially sovereign ones. The study further indicated that the higher the leadership position, the greater the difficulties. The study also demonstrated the positive impact of women holding leadership positions, bringing about positive change that improves institutional work and leads to success. It showed that women strive to help society achieve sustainable development and that their role reinforces the principles of the Islamic religion and international humanitarian law, namely social justice and equality. The study found that social institutions where women work have a role in developing women’s leadership skills, and that the media has an active role in helping them reach leadership positions that achieve sustainable development.