It is the beginning of a new year. For lots of people, it is a new door opening to the future. We usually start the year filled with hopes for a better tomorrow, of an improved self and plans to realize our dreams.
Celebrating the New Year might not be a big thing around here, we have our own new starts marked by the beginning of the Hijri year, one of the Eids, but the concept, the core idea, is still the same, it is a start line, a new beginning.
Each one of us has his own goals in life, some have reached those goals and others lost to procrastination, pessimism, or mere tiredness of repeated failures. The same applies to the collective hopes most of us share and aspire to as a society.
Hence, as everyone is busy building his or her own resolutions list, it is good to think about how a society resolutions list might look like.
Here is mine.
Topping the list is the issue of women. The year 2013 may appear, up to a certain level, as a good year for Saudi women. They found their way to the Shoura Council, they got permission to practice law in courts, they got more chances to be part of the labor market, and we have finally passed a family protection law that, in its core, is meant to protect women and children against abuse. Any arguments seeing these steps as small or late are valid, but at least we could agree that they are important. However still, we need to try hard. Pushing for cashiers’ role was fine; it is time to consider more leadership positions now. The number of Saudi women at high-ranking positions in the management in both the public and private sectors is horribly low. With the increasing percentage of highly experienced, well-qualified Saudi female professionals, the situation has to change.
Then, there is the hypersensitive subject of women driving. It would be good to start thinking about drafting laws to ease putting women behind the wheel. Keeping this issue lingering for so long with no resolution is only making it a fertile soil for lies, rumors, pointless arguments, and delusional heroism from both parties; the supporting and the opposing.
Continuing on our list, there is the labor market. What a year it has been for the Ministry of Labor! One could easily argue that what happened in 2013 had been due for the past two decades. Now that we have taken the first step by organizing things, it is time to tackle the issue of quality of the labor market. The responsibility here is not only on the shoulders of the Ministry of Labor, it is on all of us. It is about changing the culture of the market, the level of education, and how the human resources are managed, motivated, and rewarded. A tough objective that, in comparison, could make the challenges faced so far look like a walk in a park.
The last topic that I want to share with you is related to sports activities in the country. Let’s admit it; the situation is encouraging at all. We are falling behind in all kinds of sports you could think of. Considering that more than 50 percent of the population is less than 25 years old is like adding insult to the injury. It is beyond comprehension as to how we are unable to find star athletes. The missing ingredient in this sector, as it seems, is strategy. Trace any sports successes we enjoyed in the past, and were not able to keep to the moment, and you will end up with some individualistic, short-term efforts exerted by an enthusiastic person or group. To rectify the situation, we need a storm of change and investments: In infrastructure and in mindsets.
The list could go on and on, there are no limits when it comes to imagining one’s country’s, kids’ or loved ones’ future. The most important thing is to work on turning these wishes and dreams into reality.
@ smaldosari
