Media must live up to women’s hopes, says KACND

RIYADH: The King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND) concluded here an interactive session with experts on women’s issues under the theme “Saudi Arabia, media and women: The stereotype and reality.”
The event was held to discover the reality of the stereotyped image of Saudi women in the media at home and abroad in order to change general perceptions about them.
According to the speakers, Saudi women’s issues figure prominently in the local and the Western media when addressing Saudi issues, but the focus is not always on the positive side.
They said that media influence has a great impact on the public when discussing women’s issues. Unfortunately, the local media does not properly represent Saudi women while discussing the realities of the situation. On the other hand, the western media presents the issues that emerge and highlights their voice in defending their rights.
Noted Saudi women, including Dr. Nahed Bashtah, Hala Al-Qahtani and Haifa Al-Muqren, among other representatives of women committees participated in the discussion.
Issues like media awareness and its importance and how to deal with it, figured during the discussion at the event. They also dealt with the media’s role in improving the image of Saudi women and ways of empowering young women, which was the theme of one discussion.