English abstract
Corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as the board, managers, shareholders and stakeholders. It identifies the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs to provide the structure through which the company objectives are set to reach those objectives. Corporate governance is needed in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) because the region is growing at a fast rate and a system to govern resources and be in line with all the development is needed. The role of women on boards has proven to be great contributors, however the role of women in the (GCC) needs to be strengthened further.
Purpose – To investigate corporate governance and gender issues within the Gulf Countries, progress and development focusing on the role of women in the board and their significance in being members.
Findings – low percentage of women on boards in the GCC countries which due to: cultural and religious factors, the perspective of some countries within the GCC that the role of women is limited to certain positions within the corporation but not on boards, restrictions from the culture as well as the government to a certain extent.
