JEDDAH, 18 May 2004 — The third dialogue forum, which focuses on women’s issues, will take place in Madinah on June 12. Thirty female academics, writers and journalists have been invited to debate some 16 papers, according to Faisal Muammar, secretary-general of the National Dialogue Center.
The meeting is expected to discuss a number of controversial issues such as women’s driving, participation of women in elections, the expansion of areas where women can work and their membership in the Shoura Council.
Muammar said the topics to be debated at the forum had been approved from the top. It will focus on four pivotal topics: Women’s Rights; Women and Society; Women and Work; and Women and Education.
Muammar told Al-Madinah daily papers would focus on the legitimate rights and duties of women as well as new proposals to help women achieve their rights. Approaches to the social problems facing women would also figure prominently, he said.
The announcement comes as Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi ambassador to Britain, said the Kingdom will provide more jobs for women. “Practical steps have been taken in the areas of education and higher education and the job market has been kept open to women,” Prince Turki said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Amman.
The King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center set up by Crown Prince Abdullah has so far held two forums in Riyadh and Makkah that brought together intellectuals from a range of backgrounds.
At the Makkah forum, Prince Abdullah vowed that the Kingdom would go ahead with its political and economic reforms. “We will not allow anybody to stand in the way of reforms, be it by calling for stagnation or going back or any other reckless adventure,” he said.
At the time he urged all citizens to work with the government to achieve reforms but cautioned the state “will not allow anybody to destroy national unity or disturb the peace of its people under the pretext of reforms.”
The last two dialogue sessions were held in “an atmosphere of goodwill and mutual respect,” he said.
The Makkah forum called for an end to discrimination and proposals to fight extremism. The recommendations also included immediate reform of the curriculum and greater freedom for the media.
