Through panels, workshops, and a dedicated resource library, the programme ensures women publishers lead technological transformation rather than merely adapting to it.
The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has formalised a strategic partnership with PublisHer, the international network supporting women in publishing, to amplify female representation across regional and global markets.
Strengthening regional networks
Launched in 2019 by Bodour Al Qasimi, PublisHer addresses systemic gender imbalances across publishing value chains.
The EPA collaboration creates tangible pathways for Emirati women publishers through mentorship programmes, joint sessions at book fairs, and reciprocal nomination rights for international speaking opportunities. The agreement grants EPA members access to PublisHer events while positioning Emirati publishers as visible contributors to global publishing discourse.
Rashid Al Kous, EPA Executive Director, framed the partnership as transformational: “PublisHer is a powerful global platform closing the gender gap. This alliance converts ambition into measurable outcomes.”
Global expansion through AI innovation
The EPA partnership coincides with PublisHer’s latest cutting-edge collaboration with UK-based Shimmr AI, announced in November. https://womeninpublishing.org/publisher-formalizes-strategic-partnership-with-shimmr-ai-to-empower-women-publishers-through-ai-education-and-innovation/ This initiative delivers AI education, mentorship, and visibility specifically for women-led publishing businesses, addressing the critical need for technical literacy in a fast-evolving digital landscape.
The Shimmr AI alliance exemplifies PublisHer’s forward-thinking approach -moving beyond traditional networking to equip members with practical tools for autonomous advertising, discoverability optimisation, and data-driven decision making.
Through panels, workshops, and a dedicated resource library, the programme ensures women publishers lead technological transformation rather than merely adapting to it.
Industry-wide impact
Bodour Al Qasimi notes that empowering women in creative sectors represents “strategic necessity for sustainable growth.” The EPA-PublisHer framework operationalises this through concrete commitments: co-organised conferences, dedicated pavilion space at local fairs, and exclusive EPA membership benefits for PublisHer members.
For publishing professionals, this dual partnership model – regional institutional backing combined with international technology access -creates a replicable blueprint. It demonstrates how national associations can localise global equality movements while simultaneously preparing members for digital disruption.
The initiative lays foundations for a global ecosystem where female-led houses thrive through connectivity, skills development, and market access -essential components as publishing navigates both cultural diversification and AI integration.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.
