A delegation of five women from the Icelandic Parliament carried a very strong message of support and encouragement to the women of Saudi Arabia. During a recent visit to the Kingdom, the Icelandic delegation, headed by the parliamentary President Solveig Petursdottir, met with Saudi officials and prominent Saudi women in the field of business, academia and the media.
In a two-hour meeting with board members of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and members of the Shoura Council, the delegation discussed business opportunities and exchanged views on the efforts to strengthen intercultural relations between the two countries.
The Icelandic women hoped that their visit would be an inspiration for Saudi women and could influence change toward empowering women to take leadership positions in their country. They spoke about the role of women in Iceland and how they were instrumental in making Iceland one of the richest countries in Europe today. The encouragement and support of the delegation was greatly appreciated by the Saudi political and business leaders in attendance who enthusiastically briefed their guests about the status of women in Saudi Arabia and detailed the challenges of implementing reforms to foster progress and development. Four Saudi women from the JCCI board of directors outlined their roles in the process of empowering women in Saudi Arabia.
Lama Al-Sulaiman, head of the Khadija bint Khuwailed Center for Businesswomen, spoke about the center’s leadership in advancing the participation of women in the work force and its mission to portray to the public the constructive and dedicated work in which businesswomen are involved to serve the country and develop their communities.
Nashwa Taher, deputy head of the center, spoke about the research committee that is identifying legal and institutional constraints that impede women’s participation in the work force and in business. Preliminary recommendations include the implementation of what are acceptable religious rulings and not the laws that are enforced because of old traditions unrelated to Islam. Taher’s committee works with different governmental departments and organizations to promote new laws that protect women’s rights and provide them with equal opportunities. Her research also includes a study of the work environment and the need for better transportation arrangements and day-care facilities.
Ulfat Qabbani, head of the social and corporate responsibility committee at the JCCI, discussed the role of the private sector and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). She said her committee is engaged in creating links between civil society and government to implement programs that serve the community and provide support for women in the work force and the business sector.
Madawi Al-Hassoun, head of the JCCI’s media and foreign relations committee, stressed that women in Saudi Arabia complement the role of men in Saudi society and are not seeking to compete with men. They rather enjoy their feminine identity and strive to attain their legal rights and hope to be given due respect and support as productive partners in society. She said women in Saudi Arabia will gain their rights not by confrontation but by good will and persuasion. She was very articulate in expressing her confidence in the Saudi women of the future. “We need your support and not your pressure, your understanding and not your judgment,” Al-Hassoun said.
“What is vital for the empowerment of women is awareness,” said JCCI member Asia Al-Asheikh. The Saudi businesswoman said we need to identify the obstacles that stand in the way before we can find constructive solutions and the means to confront the challenges ahead.
Al-Asheikh is engaged in social, educational and training programs to develop and empower Saudi families, and she is optimistic about the future. “Tamkeen,” the Arabic word meaning empowerment, is the name of her organization, and the group stresses that families as well as women must be so empowered in order to achieve sustainable development.
Al-Asheikh said support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the economic boom and the backing of enlightened businessmen are creating a new era for Saudi women and society.
This vanguard of Saudi businesswomen asserted that women have made significant achievements; however, their advancement will not continue without the elimination of discriminatory laws and the recognition that women must play an important part in the nation’s development.
At the end of the meeting, Petursdottir reiterated that the delegation’s visit to the Kingdom had erased many misconceptions about Saudi women and hoped that their endeavors would eventually inspire change and progress.
The talks at the Jeddah chamber underscored the progress women have made at this early stage; however, will it continue to progress, and will Saudi women become members of the Shoura Council?
Women in politics was not discussed during the meeting, but the concept within the Kingdom remains hindered by cultural obstacles and discriminatory laws prevalent in the system. Moreover, society remains reluctant to acknowledge women as capable of assuming leadership roles.
The visit of the Icelandic lawmakers and similar initiatives can foster confidence and build relations between the West and Saudi Arabia. Global outreach and international cooperation can have a great impact on the progress and development of our nation. We can learn a great deal from others’ experiences, and we can benefit from the exchange of views and ideas.
Let us hope that the participation of women in international and cultural dialogues will continue to eliminate many of the misconceptions created by the long-standing absence of Saudi women on the global scene. Let us also hope society at large realizes that as long as discriminatory laws are allowed to remain in effect, and unwarranted cultural bugaboos tolerated, our nation’s economic growth and global competitiveness will remain unnecessarily hobbled.
— Samar Fatany is a Jeddah-based radio journalist. She can be reached at [email protected].
