While studying at university in the UK, Maliha Abidi would flick through the pages of books in her local Waterstones store, only to realise there were no characters who resembled her.
The closest match was Malala Yousafzai and, says Abidi, while she is “brilliant and an incredible human being, one person is not enough representation”.
So the Pakistani artist took it upon herself to set the record straight. She created a book to honour the outstanding women of her homeland, illustrating, researching and writing the text herself.
Pakistan for Women’s 50 profiles included well-known high achievers such as Yousafzai, Oscar-winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as women who were not as renowned beyond the country’s borders, such as human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir and anti-slavery campaigner Veeru Kohli.
When she failed to persuade publishers of its value, Abidi launched a Kickstarter fund, raising more than $11,500 and publishing it herself, after seeking out a printing workshop in the backstreets of Karachi’s crowded markets.
“There was a table, a chair and a printing machine,” she says, laughing at the recollection. “My father found the place and we sat with the printers, working on the design and watching the book come off the presses.”
That was exactly three years ago today. Pakistan for Women became an unexpected success, selling in more than 60 countries – and has since sparked three more books, each aiming to redress the balance and herald the achievements of people of colour.
It also cast Abidi in the role of activist campaigning for women’s rights, equality in education and proper care for mental health – as much to her surprise as anyone else’s.
“I just thought there was a huge lack of representation, especially from the part of the world that I come from,” she says.
“Usually the same one or two names come up, but they cannot be representative of the whole of South Asia.
“That was how it began but then I wanted to go global and celebrate all women of colour from around the world.”
In 2020, Abidi ended up on the sort of list she has spent years compiling when she was named one of 20 Muslim women to watch by the ezine Muslimgirl.com, which praised her “powerful artistry and feminist writing”.
“I don’t think I deserve to be on that list,” she says. “I am just grateful to do the work I do.”
Despite her modesty, Abidi’s work is creating ripples globally. Her second book Rise: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World, featured profiles of 100 entrepreneurs, entertainers, activists, scientists and athletes from 40 countries, from Beyonce Knowles to actress Deepika Padukone and gymnast Simone Biles, all illustrated with Abidi’s own artwork.
She is also the creator of Women Rise, a collection of 10,000 NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, which aims to raise millions for girls’ education charities, including the Malala Fund and the Girl Effect.
It is, perhaps, little surprise that the Rise book cover carries a message from Yousafzai. Like Malala, whose father Ziauddin is emphatic on the importance of girls’ education, Abidi’s father, Jawaid Abbas, was hugely influential in her upbringing and encouraged her endeavours from a young age.
Born in Karachi, the artist was brought up by her engineer father and paternal grandparents in Hyderabad, an 18th-century fort city where, she recalls, it was normal to see donkey carts, rickshaws and ice-cream sellers on the streets.
It was an idyllic childhood: “I was an only child but surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles. It was lovely.”
Her life was upturned, however, when she moved to live with family in San Diego in the US at the age of 14, and her father’s visa was delayed. It was an isolating experience and drove her to a near-breakdown, although she was never formally diagnosed with depression.
“It’s a beautiful place but my mental health suffered,” she says. “It was a culture shock and I wasn’t able to make friends because they saw me as different.
“My classmates would ask if I was a refugee, and when they showed a film about the Taliban at school, they asked if that was why I moved there.”
Art and her faith became her salvation. She had drawn since she was five years old – with her father critiquing her work as if she were a professional artist – but, in California, it became her refuge.
“I used to go to the library and sit for hours, crying and drawing,” she recalls. “It got me through.
“I have been drawing for as long as I can remember but it was always a hobby. At 14, it became my coping mechanism.”
Independence and greater happiness came with her Nikah (Muslim marriage) to Askari Hassan in Pakistan at the age of 19, followed by a civil ceremony in the UK at 21. Introduced by their families, "Aski", eight years her senior, is a diehard feminist and has, Abidi says, been one of her greatest supporters.
Despite having little money between them when they married, the chartered accountant insisted on renting a bigger flat so his wife could have a studio at home.
The couple moved to England and she embarked on a degree in medical neuroscience at the University of Sussex, although Abidi has since transferred her studies online to California in the US.
She says the subject and her own experiences will help her “create an organisation focused on mental health and art. I wanted to come at it from an academic perspective.”
As well as two more book projects, both focusing on migration, Abidi, now 26, continues to contribute artwork to campaigns by organisations such as the United Nations, and is advocating for more women to enter Web3 industries and the digital space.
And with the money raised from selling her work, she has donated $16,000 to the Malala Fund – a way of things coming full circle, she says, as Ziauddin Yousafzai contributed personally to the fundraising that paid for Abidi's studies.
She is hoping to begin her own family soon, but, whether first blessed with a boy or girl, she is sure of one thing: “I am going to try to raise him or her as a feminist and make sure I teach them to be empathetic.”
After a pause, she adds: “If it’s a girl, I’ll teach her to be free and confident in her own skin. And if it’s a boy, I might hold him more accountable and teach him to check his privilege.”
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 720hp
Torque: 770Nm
Price: Dh1,100,000
On sale: now
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE
Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1
