Under the Patronage and Attendance of the Prime Minister.. The Women Entrepreneurs Forum and Bank of Palestine Launch the "Excellence Award for Women Entrepreneurs 2026"

SadaNews - Today, the Bank of Palestine, in partnership with the Women Entrepreneurs Forum, launched the "Excellence Award for Women Entrepreneurs 2026," a competition aimed at encouraging female entrepreneurs and businesswomen to develop their projects and enhance their presence in the economic landscape, contributing to innovation, stimulating excellence, and empowering Palestinian women to expand their impact across various productive and service sectors.

The award was launched during a special ceremony held at the Abd Al-Mohsen Qattan Foundation in Ramallah, under the patronage of Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of Palestine, and attended by Mr. Yahya Al-Shanhar, Governor of the Palestinian Monetary Authority, Mr. Mahmoud Al-Shawa, General Manager of the Bank of Palestine, and Mrs. Sherin Al-Shallah, Chairwoman of the Women Entrepreneurs Forum, along with a select group of ministers, officials, diplomats, private sector representatives, and civil society institutions, in addition to a notable presence of media representatives.

The award aims to honor women entrepreneurs who have achieved significant accomplishments and played an active role in enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the national economy, despite the economic and political challenges facing Palestine. It also seeks to highlight inspiring success stories that embody the values of leadership, innovation, and leadership, and underscore the pivotal role of Palestinian women in driving economic development.

The winners of the Excellence Award for Women 2026 were selected based on a set of transparent criteria that included leadership, adaptability to crises and challenges, and the economic, social, and environmental impact of initiatives and projects, along with clarity of presentation and the ability to inspire and create a positive, sustainable impact.

During the ceremony, the winners of the first edition of the Excellence Award for Women Entrepreneurs were announced, where Izzat Hamid from the Arts Center for Architecture and Engineering in Gaza won the first prize worth $10,000, while Maysa Al-Shami from Al-Mahatta Company in Nablus won the second prize valued at $5,000, and Sundus Mleitat from the "Hakini" platform in Ramallah received the third prize worth $3,000, in recognition of their inspiring careers and outstanding entrepreneurial contributions.

For his part, Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, in his speech during the ceremony, affirmed that this award not only celebrates individual successes but honors the extraordinary capacity of Palestinian women for leadership, creativity, and resilience, embodying their pivotal role as essential partners in building the national economy and advancing the process of development and social progress.

Dr. Mustafa added that when Palestinian women succeed in establishing their projects, they do not just establish a company or an entrepreneurial venture; they contribute to building an intrinsic part of Palestine's future. He noted that the Women Entrepreneurs Forum, after twenty years of continuous work, has become a national success story that deserves all appreciation, and a pioneering model of what can be achieved when willpower aligns with partnership and sustainable institutional work.
On his part, the Governor of the Monetary Authority, Yahya Al-Shanhar, confirmed that despite the exceptional challenges faced by the Palestinian economy, many of its sectors continued to play their vital role in production, employment, and development, supported by a steadfast will and renewed capacity for resilience and continuity.
Al-Shanhar also pointed out that Palestinian women have become essential partners and active drivers in economic activity, through their qualitative contributions in entrepreneurship, project management, and production, which enhances the diversity of the national economy and reinforces its ability to grow and adapt. He added that the Excellence Award for Women Entrepreneurs 2026 comes as a tribute to female entrepreneurial models that embody the values of leadership, perseverance, and innovation, and contributed significantly to invigorating the national economy and enhancing its capacity for development and sustainability.
For his part, Mr. Mahmoud Al-Shawa stated during the launch ceremony, "The Bank of Palestine believes that empowering Palestinian women is not merely an institutional commitment but a real investment in the future of Palestine. The bank has continued to develop quality programs and services that have contributed to enhancing financial inclusion for Palestinian women, supporting female entrepreneurship, and economically empowering women in a tangible and sustainable manner."
Al-Shawa noted that women today manage more than 300,000 banking accounts at the bank, while around a quarter of a million women use electronic banking services, reflecting a continuous growth in women's participation in the economy. He expressed pride that the financing portfolio allocated to women at the Bank of Palestine amounts to approximately $150 million, indicating that more than 25,000 women entrepreneurs have benefited through the "Palestinian" program over the past ten years, receiving financing, training, guidance, and networking services, which contributed to supporting promising women's projects and enhancing growth and empowerment opportunities.
Engineer Sherin Al-Shallah said, "This award is not merely a recognition of financial results or commercial success, but a national acknowledgment of the ability of Palestinian women to lead in times of crises, to protect their projects, their employees, their families, and their communities, under conditions that could have broken many others, but their will has not been broken."
Al-Shallah added that the forum has been the voice of Palestinian businesswomen for twenty years, a platform to advocate for their rights, defend their interests, and partner in developing laws and policies that have opened up wider and more equitable spaces for women in the world of business and the economy.
It is worth mentioning that the "Excellence Award for Women Entrepreneurs 2026" is considered a national platform to celebrate the success stories of Palestinian women and highlight the impact of women entrepreneurs in developing the business environment, enhancing innovation, and creating job opportunities, in line with national efforts aimed at empowering women and enhancing their presence in various economic fields.