JEDDAH, 27 March 2006 — A two-day seminar and workshop for women in the media entitled “Challenges and Expectations” began on Sunday at the Khadija bint Khuwailed Center for Businesswomen at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Organized by the center and sponsored by the Global Opportunities Fund of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the seminar addresses issues such as the role of women in the media and the role of the media in supporting women and society.

The seminar opened with a speech by Dr. Nadia Baeshen, director of the center, who emphasized the importance of women working in the media in supporting women’s development issues during this transition stage in our country.

Following Dr. Nadia was Nashwa Taher, one of the two elected women to the JCCI board of directors.

She spoke about the media’s responsibility and the need for a respectable, constructive and integrated media that would further the cause of women in Saudi Arabia and present them positively.

The first presentation was by veteran journalist Khozaima Attas, consultant to the editor in chief of Okaz Arabic daily in the family affairs section.

She began by speaking on the message and the role played by women journalists from the beginning in raising awareness and showcasing women’s achievements. She then talked about the progress women journalists had made despite the limitations, challenges and obstacles put in their way. Nonetheless, women journalists seek more in terms of opportunities, job specialization and job rights that conform to continuing changes in the industry.

Building on that concept, the next speaker, Maha Akeel of Arab News, emphasized empowering women to reach decision-making levels in the media. It is not enough to open the door for more women in the media, according to Maha; what is important is removing obstacles that stand in the way of their progress to allow for their equal and effective participation at all levels and fields of the media.

In her research three years ago on Saudi women in the media, Maha found that women represented less than 8 percent of the total workforce in any publishing company and that there were no women in administration, production or technical departments, and the highest position women could achieve was head of the women’s section.

In Saudi radio and television, women represent only 5 percent of the total workforce, and although they have achieved high positions at the local level, there are no women at the administrative level in the Ministry of Information which manages Saudi radio and television, she said.

There are other obstacles that women face in the media, including lower salaries than men, lack of specialized media education and training, problems in transportation in addition to negative social perceptions and family pressures.

Maha called for a plan at the levels of government and board of directors’ in private institutions to implement solutions that ensure equal opportunities for women.

The final presentation was by veteran Saudi radio personality Samar Fatani who spoke about the role of the media in focusing on social issues in order to stimulate reform and national development.

Some of the examples she mentioned were how the media had made a difference when covering issues such as terrorism, AIDS, domestic violence, people with special needs and medical mistakes. The floor was then opened for discussion. Today’s workshop will be for beginners in journalism.