The year 2005 began with a disappointment for Saudi women seeking greater roles in society, but it ended on a higher note of optimism for the years ahead.
At the start of the year, the Kingdom held municipal elections for the first time, a new chapter in its modern history. Women, however, were denied participation in this historic process for reasons many people considered to be invalid. That setback in the road for empowering women was corrected by a small but significant victory: Being granted the right to run in elections for the boards of directors at chambers of commerce and industry. That important reform of the electoral process culminated with two businesswomen winning seats in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Early in the year, women were stricken a blow to their ambitions and perceptions of themselves as equal citizens when they were told they could not run or vote in the about-to-be-held municipal elections. Some women had already nominated themselves and announced their campaign platforms before the exclusion was made. Election officials rebuffed these candidates even though the regulations do not clearly prohibit women the right to run for municipal posts. This was perceived by many Saudis to be a great disappointment. The reasons given by the government for excluding women was that holding elections was a new experience, that organizers had little time to make preparations for women voters. Women were promised participation in the 2009 municipal elections. Many were annoyed and angered by this snub, especially when it was revealed that male prisoners would be allowed the right to vote.
There was hope that the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, which has retained the right to appoint half of all municipal council members, would rectify the lack of participation of women in elections by appointing some women to the positions. However, no women were named when the final list of members of the 178 municipal councils was released earlier this month.
In March, the chairman of the 150-member Shoura Council said that there were no plans so far to hold elections to pick the members, which are currently appointed by the king. The chairman said that women would continue to be consulted by the council on matters that concern them. The Arab Human Development Report stated in April that Saudi Arabia should exert more efforts to integrate women into mainstream Saudi society.
Despite the obstacles of social and cultural attitudes, women continue plowing ahead and proving themselves, especially in the areas of business and the workplace.
Over the past three years women have been playing an increasingly active and visible role in the annual Jeddah Economic Forum, and in 2005 they were front and center in the organization, participating in both quality and quantity. Women’s influence in the business sector became even more apparent when first they were allowed to participate as voters in the elections for the board of directors at Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Then, in the elections for the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) held in November, women challenged the status quo by demanding participation as voters and candidates. As with the municipal council regulation, nothing specifically prohibits women from democratic participation.
The Ministry of Commerce conceded and, upon orders from above, allowed women to run. Seventeen businesswomen nominated themselves, two of them — Lama Al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher — won seats and two others — Madawi Al-Hassoun and Olfat Qabbani — were appointed by the Ministry of Commerce to make a total of four women on the 18-member board of directors. Other businesswomen are now running for their local chambers board of directors.
“I think permitting women to participate in the chamber’s elections is a direct result of pressure from women’s groups, although not officially recognized or organized, after being denied participation in the municipal elections,” Hatoon Al-Fassi, associate professor of women’s history at King Saud University in Riyadh, told Arab News. “I think we should not look at women’s participation in that election as just that but should look at the process that allowed them to participate because it has its implications.”
She said that when the elections for the JCCI board of directors began, women were told they could not participate as candidates. When they objected, an order came from the Ministry of Commerce to allow them and to postpone the election date to accommodate them.
“This is a clear signal that a higher political authority decided that women must participate and that the leadership had begun to respond by intervening and not just relying on society’s movement,” said Al-Fassi.
Developing a country’s human resources, of both men and women, is a key to its advancement and strength. Investing in the education, training and creation of job opportunities for Saudi men and women is a strategic goal for the Kingdom. With the announcement of opening more education fields, training centers and employment sectors for women there is the potential for bigger roles for women in the future. Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal ordered his ministry to begin employing women. Other ministries have made similar proclamations; some have already opened branches for women. More public institutions and private companies have opened or expanded women’s sections in their facilities. However, the question remains whether women will be given real authority and equal treatment.
“I think most of the high points for women this year were in business,” said Reem Jarbou, a communications freelancer in Jeddah. “They were given more strength in the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and the chambers. Many of the steps to improve the business climate reflected favorably on women especially those that were meant to make things easier for women. The disabling factors are slowly going away. Also, more and more women are participating in international forums, which is great exposure for them. It changes many of the biases and stereotypes about them.”
However, Jarbou points out that the lack of proper education at all levels and training for women is still a problem that reflects negatively on the Saudization process.
“There are efforts at opening more fields of specialization, such as law and engineering in private colleges for women, but we continue to face cultural problems and attitudes that hinder us,” said Jarbou. Public universities are also opening new departments for girls, in fields such as law and journalism, as more women are demanding, and are needed, in these fields.
For her part, Jarbou is not giving up.
“We have to put up like our mothers before us. It’s up to our generation to do our maximum and let the effect trickle down. We cannot just accept things as they are,” she said.
An example of this assertive attitude by women paying-off is that of Nadia Bakhurji nominating herself in the election to the Council of Saudi Engineers this week and winning a seat. Women were never excluded from membership or as candidates for the council’s board but it was the first time that a woman ran and won.
When he was crown prince, King Abdullah said that Saudi women have started entering the mainstream of national life and he hoped that social attitudes toward them would change for the better in less than five years. After becoming king, it was obvious that women would witness a brighter future of bigger opportunities and improvements in their status during his reign.
This process began with permitting women to run in elections of boards of directors in chambers of commerce. Women’s empowerment was also a major part of the National Vision, as presented at the conclusion of the Fifth National Dialogue in December. At the heart of the new five-year budget plan is programs and policies to expand employment opportunities and policies that empower women.
Generally, women’s empowerment initiatives are aimed at reforming policies and regulations that discriminate against their advancement in the economy. In Saudi Arabia, women face restrictions and discrimination in controlling resources, in their mobility, in finding jobs, and in promotions and salaries. While the government is investing heavily in women’s education, the return on its investment in the form of jobs is very low. Women represent only five percent of the total work force.
However, Hatoon Al-Fassi said that there have been positive changes since King Abdullah’s accession that give indication of better things to come.
“For the first time women pledged allegiance to the king (mubayaa) directly. Two groups of women met with him. They represented not certain families but professions, and the meetings were aired on television which broke many taboos and was a sign of recognition of women,” she said.
Other positive changes is the recent response to requests from women to deal with the issue of abuse by providing women with shelters and forming a family safety committee under the Ministry of Social Affairs.
“There has also been more freedom in the press during the past year to talk about women’s issues such as women’s driving and others that were considered off-limits,” said Hatoon Al-Fassi.
There is still a long road ahead for women, especially with regards to their rights as human beings.
“The main issue for women is that of the guardianship practiced by the government, and men over women, that hinders women’s education and work,” said Hatoon Al-Fassi regarding the issues that still need to be addressed.
Not recognizing women’s legal competence as an adult, which renders them minors in the eyes of the law and the society, is another important issue, according to Hatoon Al-Fassi. Another issue she mentioned is not opening more job fields for women despite a decision last year by the Council of Ministers to do that.
“We need a higher council for women that reports directly to the king and that follows on all decisions related to women,” she said.
Women’s ability to move freely and safely is also a critical issue, according to Hatoon Al-Fassi.
Before the year had ended, Dr. Salwa Al-Hazzaa, head of the ophthalmology department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh and one of the women consulted by the Shoura Council, announced that a higher committee for women’s affairs is going to be established soon.
Another major announcement during the past few days is the approval by the Ministry of Justice to establish family courts that would be considerably woman-friendly. Many women had pointed out to King Abdullah that they face prejudices, discomforts and hurdles in the male-dominated courts and procedures. A family court would open the door for female lawyers to practice their job and better serve their female clients.
“Finally, there is the important point that women’s role in making decisions and at the place of decision-making is not marginal but absent. It is men who plan and take decisions,” said Hatoon Al-Fassi.
These are some of the main concerns and issues that women are eager to resolve, once and for all, based on the principles of Islam. Being granted the right to run for positions in local chambers of commerce was only the first step. Women are looking forward to gaining more rights in 2006.
