Nada Al-Fayez, economic analyst and member of the Economic Society of Saudi Arabia, has made significant contributions to female-based businesses and investments. In addition, she writes for local and foreign newspapers. Nada also prepares economic programs for women in the Ministry of Information and presents her views and ideas as a member of different business and economic societies. She is a firm believer in the importance of women’s investments and savings and is dedicated to getting local women to understand, realize and participate in both. Her advice column deals with investment tips, dealing in the stock exchange as a means of saving, making profitable small and big business endeavors and the importance of women maintaining personal bank accounts.
Nada was in the limelight recently because of her interview on CNN. It was part of the coverage by Christianne Amanpour during her visit to Saudi Arabia. The interview dealt with the role of Saudi women in the private sector. She acquainted the CNN reporter with facts that included the percentage of Saudi women investors issued with licenses by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). She said that only 27 projects are "licensed for Saudi female investors," i.e., 2.1 percent of total licenses. This is surprising given that the highest female Saudi contribution was to industrial projects totaling SR3.75 million and service projects totaling SR6.65 million.
Nada quotes statistics to prove that there are only 40,320 commercial registrations by Saudi women all over the Kingdom. These are focused on wholesaling, retailing and services of a smaller size and low technology compared to computer software and information technology. She wants to help women entrepreneurs, housewives and students to learn about different ways of accumulating assets for long-term security. She referred to a series of studies under way on the female business sector.
The proposal aims "to help Saudi businesswomen with investments and to boost efficient enterprises in the service of economic development as well as to provide job opportunities to willing female workforce as a preliminary to greater contributions by Saudi women to the economic growth of the country."
While advocating the need for Saudi women to strive for success and achievements, Nada also believes that the women of her country have the right social atmosphere and norms to enable them to function as efficiently as their Western counterparts. She declared that there was no lack of "human rights" for women here as they are achieving and developing within the very tolerant framework of their religion and traditions.
"Any rights that are within the limits of religious and traditional norms are the rights that our women need as suitable to their lifestyles and working environment. The West is not our environment and we function well and correctly in our own environment which suits us and works for us. Western rights don’t include me so why should I conform to them? When they tell us to fight for our rights, what rights are they talking about? We have to conform to the ‘rights’ that are a part of our own culture and traditions because they work for us here in our own environment and social background. The West is not our life and its atmosphere is vastly different from ours so we cannot say that their rights are ours. They do not relate to our lives and lifestyles, therefore we have to look at our own freedom and rights which are a part of our life and lifestyle here," she explained.
Nada feels that asking non-Western women to fight for their rights and acknowledging a statement which defines the world’s idea of human rights (with special reference to women) is actually asking our women to give up their traditional and inherited "rights".
Nada wants to emphasize the fact that Muslim and Eastern women feel freer in accepting rights that are within the limits of their traditions and religion as these will allow them to forge ahead in both professional and business fields simultaneously. She also wants to emphasize the strength of Saudi women as capable individuals who can make an impression and contribute to the development of their country. She says, "We, as women of the Third World do not want to be dictated to. We have the freedom and the right to choose to be Muslims. We feel free to work and be active within these ‘limitations’ and do not want to be robbed of the freedom to make our choices."
— Arab News Features 9 January 2003