JEDDAH, 12 January 2004 — Now that they have a chance at a seat on the nine-member board of directors of the Saudi Journalists Association (SJA), some female journalists have accepted the challenge.

Elections to the SJA’s first board of directors will take place on Feb. 26, having been postponed. Turki Al-Sudairy, editor in chief of Al-Riyadh and the chairman of the constituent committee of the SJA, told Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News, that there were three main reasons for the postponement.

First was the reduction in the number of nominees to 16 after seven former and current editors in chief (including Al-Sudairy) withdrew from the race.

Second is that female journalists stated that they were unaware that they had the right to nominate themselves and did not know the procedure for doing so.

And third was the large number of people who objected to the way the voting is being carried out on the Internet or by mobile phones.

“I am nominating myself for the board of directors of the SJA,” said Nahed Bashatah, a writer at Al-Riyadh newspaper. “I believe that there should be at least two seats on the board of directors for women because their absence would sideline women’s active participation. We are a segregated society, and women are better at understanding women’s problems but whoever is nominated must be effective and deserving,” she said.

“I’m optimistic about winning a seat because I have been working in the field for 18 years; I established the first Saudi Women’s Media Center and I have received two international awards. What is important is to go through the experience and for women to represent themselves,” Nahed added.

She thinks that more needs to be done to clarify the procedure for nomination and voting. She has plans to present her election program and agenda soon.

Another candidate is Manal Al-Sharif from Al-Watan newspaper. “Women have to be present on the board of directors because ignoring their active participation is proof of the disregard and contempt for women in our society. The media must be the leading institution working to empower women,” she said.

Manal was critical of the confusion and postponement of elections, saying, “It indicates disorganization. We need new blood, new ideas and new points of view. The procedure is still not clear and I think since we have paid to be members, we have a right to be involved and kept informed about all the decisions.”