Dr. Donia Tarek Abdelwahab, academic and researcher specializing in media and gender studies, represented Egypt in a closed high-level roundtable hosted by the Anna Lindh Foundation in Brussels. The session, part of the initiative “Dialogue for the Pact” (#ALF4ThePact), convened senior European Union officials, civil society leaders, and youth representatives from across the Euro-Mediterranean region to discuss pathways for strengthening societal cohesion under the New Agenda for the Mediterranean.
Among the key figures present was H.E. Dubravka Šuica, European Commission Vice President and Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, alongside an array of institutional and grassroots stakeholders from both Europe and the Arab region.
Dr. Abdelwahab participated in the thematic roundtable on “Youth Empowerment and Gender Inclusion through Intercultural Narratives,” where she underscored the central role of media in shaping collective consciousness around gender issues. Drawing from her academic background and field-based research, she shared real-world examples from Egypt’s evolving media landscape—particularly in amplifying women’s voices through youth-led initiatives and public communication platforms.
“The media is not only a mirror of society but a powerful tool for social transformation,” Abdelwahab said. “Its potential to foster gender equity depends on intentional, inclusive narratives that reflect the lived realities of women and girls.”
Academic Voice, Field Impact
Dr. Abdelwahab currently serves as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Audiovisual Media at the Canadian International College (CIC) in Cairo. She holds a Ph.D. in Media Studies, with a research focus on the representation of women in Arab media. Her academic work explores the intersections of media, gender, and digital transformation—bridging theoretical inquiry with practical policy relevance.
Beyond her academic duties, Dr. Abdelwahab plays an active role in Egypt’s national efforts to monitor and improve the portrayal of women in the media. She is a volunteer member of the Media Monitoring Committee of Egypt’s National Council for Women, where she contributes annually to the flagship report assessing gender portrayals in Ramadan television dramas. She also serves on the Council’s year-round Permanent Media Monitoring Committee, analyzing discourse trends and advising on corrective frameworks.
International Engagement and Policy Relevance
Professionally, Abdelwahab has served as an independent consultant in gender analysis and media evaluation for civil society organizations in Egypt and the wider MENA region. Recently, she was appointed as a Visiting Researcher at the Center for International Communication Studies at Ningbo University of Technology in China, where her research focuses on public diplomacy and the dynamics of media relations between China and the Arab world.
Her participation in the #ALF4ThePact dialogue affirms the growing role of Egypt’s young academic talent in shaping regional policy conversations on cultural and social development. It also highlights the importance of grounding global policy frameworks in rigorous local knowledge and civic engagement.
