The third session of the National Dialogue Forum will be held after Haj in Madinah and women will be the main focus of the conference. There are thousands of educated women in this country, representing different social, cultural and intellectual levels. Many have earned impressive academic qualifications and hold leading positions in both the public and private sectors.
I suggest that participation in this coming conference be limited to women with men not being allowed to attend. The conference is dedicated to discussing women’s affairs and should be closed to men for several reasons.
First, if the conference is to discuss issues concerning women, who knows better than women themselves? It should be left to women to decide how best to get the rights that are guaranteed to them by Islamic law.
Second, the presence of women intellectuals, academics, professionals and those engaged in business all under one roof will stimulate them to engage in direct, frank and serious discussion. The atmosphere would definitely be more relaxed than if men were present in the same room. If only women were present, it would spare them the trouble of having to discuss their affairs and address a male audience through closed-circuit television.
Third, since the conference is to discuss women’s affairs, it is natural that women be allowed to prove they are quite capable of addressing their own issues, including the most sensitive ones. In any case, discussing sensitive issues might not be possible in the presence of men and certainly not, given the modest and conservative nature of most Saudi women.
Fourth, allowing women the opportunity to manage such a conference means putting more trust in them. They would be viewed as a group quite capable of assuming responsibility and handling their own affairs.
Fifth and last, allowing women to manage the conference would free them of any influence that authoritative men might seek to exercise. Our women are wise enough to know what is best for them and their country.
