PublisHer has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Authority (SPC Free Zone), setting up a long-term partnership aimed at widening opportunities for women in publishing.
PublisHer, founded by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, describes the agreement as a framework designed to expand access, provide institutional backing, and increase visibility for women-owned publishing firms across regional and international markets.
Under the terms of the MoU, SPC Free Zone will introduce several measures for women-led publishing companies to help reduce entry barriers and encourage growth. These include special licensing packages, support around events, and promotion through SPC’s digital platforms. The authority will also work with PublisHer on workshops, networking sessions, book launches and media opportunities, while offering access to the Sheen Theatre for selected annual activities. In addition, SPC plans to share PublisHer initiatives with female CEOs and managers within its network and refer suitable businesses into the PublisHer community.
SPC’s commitments come against the backdrop of an expanding business ecosystem. In recent years, the free zone has welcomed thousands of companies representing more than 100 countries, with strong participation from publishing, education, translation, consultancy, legal services and wider knowledge-based sectors. The hub is built to support entrepreneurs, including women-led firms, seeking to operate regionally and globally. Today, it hosts more than 9,600 companies, positioning the free zone as an important channel for opportunities linked to this agreement.
For its part, PublisHer will encourage women publishers at SPC to connect with its programmes, highlight SPC-based entrepreneurs in its directory and success stories, and provide mentorship and professional development pathways.
Commenting on the partnership, Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi said: “This partnership reflects our shared belief that women-led publishers play a vital role in shaping the future of our industry. By combining PublisHer’s global community and capacity-building platforms with SPC’s world-class infrastructure and diverse business network, we are giving publishing businesses based in Sharjah immediate access to regional and international markets, as well as the legal, creative, technology, and professional services that help ambitious ideas scale. Sharjah’s leadership in the global publishing landscape has always been rooted in expanding opportunity and knowledge, and this MoU reinforces that vision by enabling women to thrive as creators and changemakers at the heart of one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.”
The agreement sits within a rapidly evolving market environment. The Middle East and Africa books market was valued at around USD 13.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed USD 18 billion by 2033, growing at an estimated annual rate of almost 3.7 percent. Within this picture, the UAE is viewed as an important growth driver, with the national publishing industry forecast to rise from about USD 260 million to roughly USD 650 million by 2030. The digital publishing segment is also expected to record double-digit growth through to 2033.
Sharjah’s developing role as a regional hub for content and creative industries gives the MoU additional strategic weight, with both sides positioning the collaboration as part of a wider effort to broaden participation in the sector.
According to both organisations, the partnership marks a significant move towards supporting women-led publishing locally, across the region and internationally. It strengthens Sharjah’s standing as a centre for publishing and entrepreneurship, backed by institutions such as SPC and international platforms like PublisHer, which seek to widen access to networks, resources and decision-making spaces.
By bringing together SPC’s business environment and multi-sector network with PublisHer’s advocacy and global community, the parties say the MoU establishes a practical model for expanding opportunities for women while helping the broader publishing ecosystem grow.
