PublisHer, the global movement founded by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi to advance women in publishing, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Authority (SPC Free Zone). The agreement establishes a long-term framework to support women-owned publishing businesses through expanded industry access, institutional backing, and greater visibility across regional and international markets.
Under the MoU, SPC Free Zone will introduce a range of benefits aimed at reducing barriers for women-led publishing companies, including special licensing packages and tailored business support. SPC will also promote PublisHer across its digital platforms, collaborate on workshops, book launches, and networking events, facilitate media engagement, and provide access to the Sheen Theatre for select annual activities. Additionally, SPC will share PublisHer programmes and updates with its network of female CEOs and managers and refer eligible companies to the PublisHer community.
These efforts build on SPC’s rapidly expanding ecosystem, which has attracted thousands of companies from more than 100 countries in recent years. With strong representation from publishing, education, translation, creative industries, consulting, and other knowledge-driven sectors, SPC now hosts over 9,600 companies operating within a globally connected business environment. This diverse network forms a key part of the opportunities now extended to women publishers establishing their businesses in Sharjah.
PublisHer will, in turn, encourage SPC-based women entrepreneurs to participate in its global programmes, feature them in its international directory and success stories, and provide mentorship and capacity-building opportunities to strengthen their industry presence.
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to empowering women-led publishers and enabling them to scale. By combining PublisHer’s global community with SPC’s world-class infrastructure, she noted, women entrepreneurs gain immediate access to regional and international markets and the professional services needed to grow.
The collaboration reinforces Sharjah’s position as a global centre for publishing and demonstrates how institutional partnerships can expand opportunities for women while strengthening the wider publishing ecosystem.
