JEDDAH, 15 September 2005 — For the first time, Saudi women will be able to run for office in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) elections in November, an official source said. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry agreed on Tuesday to allow Saudi businesswomen to run for seats on the chamber’s board of directors.
Candidates have 15 days, beginning on Saturday, to announce their candidacy. The elections have been postponed to November in order to give an opportunity to more people to run, the ministry said.
Rida Ghazawi, a Saudi businesswoman who plans to run for office, said, “Since women have vast experience in the business sector, this is an excellent step which will help women in making decisions and contributing to the economy.”
She added that the decision would allow women to help other businesswomen by understanding the challenges and obstacles they face.
A press conference clarifying the reason for the postponement and the participation of women will be held at JCCI at 11 a.m. today. Those attending will include JCCI Chairman Dr. Ghassan Al-Sulaiman and Secretary-General Mohammed Al-Sharif.
