AM Presents: PublisHer
PublisHer is a call to action by female publishing leaders to address their industry’s entrenched gender imbalances and drive an international agenda for change. PublisHer is an empowered community seeking creative, viable solutions to the many gender-based inequities that have long characterized world publishing and the other creative industries.
At publishing houses around the world, seeds of change are starting to germinate as leaders take a hard, honest look at deep-rooted obstacles to diversity and inclusion.
There is a growing recognition that PublisHer as an industry must actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion if tangible, lasting progress is to be made. I created PublisHer as a response to this shifting perspective, and this Toolkit captures this renewed sense of purpose, clarity and optimism.
PublisHer conducted a wide-ranging evaluation of research on diversity and inclusion in publishing and other industries. The findings were used to draw up a comprehensive survey, which was completed by more than 50 women in the publishing industry and supplemented by semi−structured interviews. The findings from this desk research, primary data, and in-person interviews have been synthesized to shape the recommendations in this Toolkit.
Founder of PublisHer; CEO and Founder, Kalimat Publishing Group said on the project:
We have heard first-hand how hard it can be to elicit a sustained organizational commitment to prioritizing and improving diversity and inclusion with many organizations not aware of how to get started and how far they have to go. Today, publishers are rethinking business strategies to meet the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we believe diversity and inclusion needs to be at the top of the agenda.
She also stated:
That is why I am pleased to share PublisHer’s Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit, which is a publishing-specific support resource to help companies evolve into consciously diverse and inclusive workplaces. We will further refine and contextualize the Toolkit over time, with inclusive workplaces. We will further refine and contextualize the Toolkit over time, with the support of the growing PublisHer network.
PublisHer hope the clear, implementable organizational guidance contained in the Toolkit will assist in accelerating progress on diversity and inclusion for the benefit of the whole industry.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi (Arabic: بدور بنت سلطان بن محمد القاسمي; born 1978) is the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees and President of the American University of Sharjah, Chairperson and President of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Chairperson of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), Founder and Chief Executive Officer of children's publisher Kalimat Group, Founder and Chairperson of Kalimat Foundation, Founder of the Emirates Publishers Association, Founder of the UAE Board on Books for Young People, President of the American University of Sharjah, and past President of the International Publishers Association. Her father is His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, who has served as Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah since 1972.
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