The nomination phase for the Woman of the Year Awards (WOTYA) 2025 has officially closed, marking an exceptional response from across Bahrain’s professional, creative and social sectors.
The second edition of this prestigious initiative, organised by Woman This Month, continues to grow in scale and impact, with hundreds of entries celebrating the outstanding achievements of women who are shaping the Kingdom’s future.
This year’s nomination round recorded an impressive total of 592 submissions, with 284 unique nominees spread across six main categories and 17 sub-categories. Compared with 2024, where the total stood at 121, this marks a significant surge in engagement and recognition across the board.
Business and Innovation Lead the Charge
The Women in Business category saw one of the strongest turnouts, registering 71 distinct nominees. Within this sector, Business Leadership attracted 32 entries from women in senior roles, while Entrepreneurs with Innovation followed closely with 30. These figures reflect the growing number of Bahraini women driving entrepreneurship and corporate leadership in a rapidly evolving economy.
The Women in Finance subcategory – encompassing fintech, banking and accounting – gathered nine unique nominations, underscoring the continued rise of female professionals in the financial industry.
Creative Excellence: The Orange Economy
Equally noteworthy is the Orange Economy category, introduced in partnership with UNIDO ITPO Bahrain. With 73 unique nominees, it highlights the creative industries’ expanding influence, from Visual and Performing Arts to Media, Fashion and Digital Content Creation. This sector alone contributed more than a quarter of all nominations received, reflecting Bahrain’s increasing focus on innovation, sustainability and culture as key economic drivers.
Dr. Hashim S. Hussein, Head of UNIDO ITPO Bahrain, continues to play a pivotal role in supporting this segment. The category aligns with UNIDO’s global strategy to promote women’s empowerment through the creative economy, reinforcing Bahrain’s standing as a regional hub for talent and cultural growth.
Service and Social Impact
The Women in Service category, encompassing health, hospitality, education and wellness, received the highest engagement overall with 89 nominees. The Health subcategory alone saw 21 unique nominations, celebrating doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals whose contributions remain vital to Bahrain’s social fabric.
The Social Service, Sports and Arabic Achievement categories also saw commendable representation, with 22, 16 and 13 nominees respectively. These include women driving initiatives in philanthropy, environmental sustainability and athletic excellence.
The Road Ahead
With nominations now officially closed, the next stage begins: a distinguished jury composed of industry leaders, academics and international representatives – including technical experts from UNIDO – will assess all entries to determine the final list of nominees, with three from each category put forward for a public vote.
The culmination of this inspiring journey will be the Woman of the Year Awards 2025 Ceremony, scheduled for December 6, where the Kingdom’s most exceptional women will be honoured for their dedication, leadership and vision.
As Bahrain continues to champion gender equality and celebrate the accomplishments of its women, WOTYA 2025 stands as both a tribute and a call to action; to recognise, empower and inspire those who continue to make the Kingdom shine even brighter.
