RIYADH, 6 March 2007 — Princess Adila bint Abdullah will spell out her vision for Saudi woman in 2020 at the Khadija Bint Khuwalid Forum on “The Reality of Women’s Participation in National Development” to be held at Hilton Hotel in Jeddah on March 19 and 20.
The forum will bring together prominent Saudi businesswomen, academics and executives. It coincides with the launch of the Arab News Top 20 Supplement featuring a profile of companies headed and owned by Saudi women.
In addition to Princess Adila, other distinguished women will speak on a range of topics, including woman’s leadership in the business world, women’s cultural journeys and the challenges facing women. Deputy Minister of Labor Dr. Abdul Wahed Humaid will speak on “Women and Employment: Opportunities and Challenges.”
Describing it as a landmark event, Samar Fatany, a well-known Saudi broadcaster and journalist, said, “Saudi women have succeeded in proving themselves as partners in progress. They are as qualified as men but they need encouragement in overcoming the challenges.”
She said that though women had made progress, “we have to ensure the success of reform and accelerate its pace. Women need someone as role models. Unfortunately, there is resistance to change from some elements in our society. This resistance comes not only from men but also from women themselves. We need to reach a consensus on the need for an action-based program.”
Fatany said the media had a role to play in raising awareness and changing misconceptions created by incorrect interpretations of Islam. “As a result, women in the West have a distorted image of Islam. One of the reasons is that Saudi women have been absent from the international stage. They are unaware of the general perception in the West that all Saudi women are oppressed. Unfortunately, by their actions and behavior, our women seem to justify that image. What is important is to interact with Western women and change their ideas. Women here have been brainwashed into thinking that they cannot face the realities of life on their own.”
The challenges they face in the job market include gender barriers, reluctance of the private sector to hire women, restrictions that destroy initiative and an overall bias that chokes women’s path to progress.
