Rethinking inclusion – from systems to society

For Shuruk Elwarrak, Founder and CEO of Enabled, inclusion starts with people, rather than policies. “From my perspective as both a manager and programme leader, workplaces play a critical role in true inclusion for neurodivergent talent. The starting point is awareness; not only general awareness across employees, but targeted readiness within the hiring ecosystem itself.” She adds: “Ultimately, true inclusion – whether in workplaces or cities – is achieved when individuals are not asked to adapt to the system, but when systems evolve to embrace human diversity in all its forms.”

The early years: seeing what’s often missed

Rana Akkad, Founder and Managing Director of Jad’s Inclusion, says the challenge begins in schools. “The first step in supporting neurodivergent girls early is to properly educate the entire school team on how symptoms can present and how to recognise early red flags.” Often, she explains, these signs are subtle, internalised rather than visible, leading to missed opportunities for early support. At its core, she says, inclusion is about belonging. “No two children are the same and therefore we can’t approach them with a one-size-fits-all mindset. True inclusion means recognising each child’s individuality and ensuring they are supported in a way that allows them to feel safe, protected, productive and genuinely happy.”

Addressing the healthcare gap

From a clinical perspective, Sara Elsaid, Clinical Psychologist at American Hospital Dubai points to a long-standing imbalance in how neurodivergence is understood. “Healthcare systems need to move away from a one size fits all approach… there needs to be more awareness around how neurodivergence actually transpires in women – things like masking, internalising symptoms, emotional regulation and burnout.” Much of the current understanding, she clarifies, is based on how symptoms present in men and boys – leaving many women overlooked or misdiagnosed. “A lot of women grow up feeling like something is off but not understanding what it is. Over time, this affects self-image, confidence, relationships, and can lead to long-term burnout or ongoing mental health struggles.” As Sara Amhaz, Clinical Psychologist at The Lighthouse Dubai notes, neurodiversity has historically sat outside the women’s health conversation, despite the fact that many women experience years of misdiagnosis or fragmented care, often linked to masking and internalised symptoms. She emphasises the need to move towards more holistic, person-centred care that asks not just what is wrong, but what support women need to function and thrive across different life stages. “By the time a woman reaches a clinical threshold, she has often spent decades compensating – and it is the cost of that compensation, including anxiety, exhaustion and burnout, that brings her to healthcare in the first place,” adds Samira Cutts, Research Clinician, Kings College Hospital.

Challenging what we think we know

“One common misconception is that if a woman looks like she is functioning well or doing well in life, then she is not struggling. In reality, a lot of women are putting in a huge amount of effort just to keep things together,” says Sara Elsaid. There is also a tendency, she notes, to misread emotional or sensory responses. “There is this idea that women are just emotional or sensitive, instead of recognising things like sensory overload or executive functioning difficulties.”

A conversation that moves things forward

Her Health Majlis is a step towards redefining how women’s health is understood, discussed and supported. By bringing together experts, advocates and lived experiences, it creates space for more honest, nuanced conversations – where stigma is challenged and new perspectives take root. Because at its core, inclusion begins with understanding.

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