Saudi women have come to the fore and are beginning to take centerstage in national life. And deservedly so. With every passing National Day, there is a host of achievements and a higher sense of fulfillment for them to be proud of being Saudi and in the vanguard of a changing order.
This National Day is of special significance to Saudi Arabia’s women. For, this past year witnessed one of the greatest achievements for them when female education became an integral part of the Ministry of Education.
Arab News spoke to several Saudi women, of different strata and positions, for their views about women’s role in the National Day celebrations as well as their growing role in national life. What they produced is a bright tapestry woven with colorful flowers that signify their hopes, aspirations and ambitions. They feel their time has arrived.
A Saudi academic said women have become the focal point of national planning and development, more so than at any other time in the past. "Women should be so proud of the national attention toward them. Officials across the entire spectrum are too keen to give more room for women in most institutions. In education, there are more and more opportunities for Saudi girls to achieve the highest international standard. Special attention is focused on developing the educational curriculum and procedures in order to guarantee that Saudi women are as much educated as their male counterparts."
She described the merger of the Presidency of Girls Education with the Education Ministry as a giant step toward developing the female education sector and a clear sign that female education is no longer insulated from the national scene.
Faten Al-Yafi, assistant dean for government affairs and public relations, spoke of her satisfaction at the growing role of Saudi women and their commendable performance in society. "I am so proud that Saudi women are scoring high marks. In each of the opportunities they are given, they achieve high quality and productivity. At the same time they preserve their religious and social traditions. This harmonious balance will help open more doors for them in the years to come because they have won the trust and respect of society in every productive work they undertake to perform.
"My impression is that the key element in their success is education. The government gave men and women equal rights for education. The result is generation after generation of well educated women who are as much ready as men to serve their country by contributing to nation-building efforts in any development sector. Without causing any social clashes Saudi women are able to play their rightful role in a responsible manner and they have convinced the society of the importance of their role," she says.
Hyam Benjabi, lecturer in the Business Administration Faculty at KAAU, observed that her students on the campus are a very promising generation with more self- confidence and determination about their future. "I think the new female generation is very well informed and ambitious, and I believe that our society is ready for them, given the current new attention for female role. For instance, the introduction of IDs for women will solve a lot of problems for women. It implies full acknowledgment of their independence and identity. Also, with each institution trying to benefit from the female population, which is more than half of the total population, I think the future is very bright for the new generation."
Mona Al-Ahdab, who runs a marketing company, spoke of her practical experience in a new field of activity for Saudi women. "Since I started working in this field which is a totally new ground for Saudi women I have not faced any serious problem from anyone I’ve dealt with in business. Wherever I go I receive appreciation and respect for my personal skills. I think there are no difficulties for any woman to achieve her ambitions regardless of the field she wants to work in as long as she is well educated and responsible to uphold her religious and social heritage."
Manal Al-Shareef, news reporter at Al-Watan newspaper, believes that female presence in society is very visible. "As a reporter I can say that there is room in the local media for any women’s issue. People are very keen to listen to women’s voice and problems. Newspapers and officials cooperate in highlighting women’s problems or sufferings. Women’s concerns are played up in all newspaper pages. One of the major news coverages of last year was the fire that took place in a girls school in Makkah. The media shared the public concern about girls’ safety and what could be done to ensure their security. All this attention goes to show how women are in the social agenda. Also as a journalist I can tell you from my experience that I do the same job as any other male reporter; my stories appear on the front page as well as the business pages. All what it takes is a high sense of responsibility and determination to achieve my goals in a very important sector such as the media."