Believe it or not, Saudi women have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! A women’s rights organization in Switzerland is said to be behind the idea which is still in its early stages. The organization wants the prize to be given to 1,000 women worldwide; in other words, four women from each country.
There is of course a great difference between nominating someone for a prize and the person actually receiving it. The importance of the news does not lie in its being a sensational piece of journalism but in the negative effects it could have on the performance of Saudi women on the domestic front and on their ability to gain their rights and influence the course of events in the country. After all, women represent half the society. This does not mean Saudi women are incapable of contributing to efforts for world peace. Like women all over the world, Saudi women can help in this struggle. History tells us that women can influence peace as well as war. Women’s ability to influence both moves to war and moves to peace is unlimited considering the influence they have upon family members.
Winning or not winning the prestigious international prize is not the issue. The issue is rather the basis on which the idea was made public by the Swiss organization. It seems to be part of a trend among some people to rewrite history from a feminine perspective.
What we should fear most are the repercussions this could have on the ability of Saudi women to direct their attention inward. Saudi women face the arduous task of winning their fair share of society’s resources and wealth. Their effort should not be redirected toward rewriting world history.
Saudi women must realize that they face a long journey which they must make for themselves. They should seize the historic opportunities now available to them; a great deal of talk is going about women participating in future municipal elections, women joining the Shoura Council, women working in the foreign service.
Women are already engaged in many civil organizations. If they concentrated on these issues, Saudi women would surely — and deservedly — win international recognition and prizes. Saudi women should not try to put the cart before the horse or expect the cart to push the horse. In the end, neither will do. The door must be open for them to involve themselves fully in domestic activities instead of rejoicing over being nominated for a prize open to all women in the world.
