Najat Al Sayegh aspires to political leadership, focusing on the increasing opportunities for women in Kuwait. She credits her family and sports for instilling in her the belief in equal rights for all and has fought for this belief since a very young age.

“In Kuwait, schools select a group of students to salute the flag every morning,” Najat says. “I desperately wanted to be chosen, so my friends and I decided to practice saluting. My teacher came running and said saluting the flag is only for boys. My parents and I had a talk with the principal, asking that I be treated with the same dignity and respect as the boys.”

After earning a degree in political science, Najat worked as a project manager with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, where she sought to open free sports clubs in communities where women have little access. Najat launched The Ugly Truth, to train women in mid-management in work ethic, teamwork, and leadership, and EightyPercent, a social enterprise that hosts sports events, fitness programs, and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. She also organized the first women’s soccer tournament in Kuwait, and is now a Project Coordinator with the United Nations Development Program.