JEDDAH, 29 March 2007 — Aziza Abdul Qader is a graduate of the College of Shariah at Um Al-Qura University in Makkah but is now famous as the first Saudi woman to steer traffic campaigns.
Aziza Abdul Qader’s media agency has been successful in carrying out traffic-awareness campaigns in Makkah during the last four years. Her mission was a bit difficult as she had to teach men how to drive safely.
“My campaign was aimed at encouraging people to drive in the proper way and follow traffic regulations,” she told Al-Madinah Arabic daily. She said that as a result of her success, the local branch of the national Traffic Department assigned her to organize awareness campaigns for the fourth consecutive year.
Abdul Qader’s team is full of men, from secretaries to designers. “I got rid of my women staff when I found them lazy and delaying my plans,” she said.
“I feel proud for taking part in the traffic awareness campaigns. I am the only Saudi woman to participate in such campaigns,” she said and emphasized the importance of traffic awareness in a city like Makkah where new projects and huge influx of pilgrims and visitors have added to traffic congestion.
She also spoke about how the Traffic Department had a second thought about awarding her the deal for the first time when a businessman presented a better offer. But her agency won the contract when the businessman withdrew from the competition.
“My success in the first campaign increased their confidence in me and as a result I continued with them for four years,” she said.
She said other agencies were campaigning against her because they questioned how a woman be allowed to lead a traffic awareness campaign.
Spelling out the secrets behind her success, Aziza Abdul Qader said: “First, it was the help from God, second hard work, and third completion of work on time.”
She also made it a point to check all the boards, posters and banners of the traffic awareness campaign by herself in order to make sure that they were in the right place. “Whenever I got calls from the department about any mistakes I immediately responded by correcting them.”
As a result of her success, Abdul Qader received business from other departments such as education, civil defense, municipality and the chamber of commerce and industry. She organized the campaign for the Festival of Reading and the Forum for Families.
