Saudi women make modest gains

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A reform movement is slowly transforming Saudi Arabia's rights and opportunities for women from the ballot box to the business community.

Women were allowed to run and were elected to the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier this month for the first time ever. Out of 17 women running, Lama Al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher, won seats to the board. They said they hoped to be able to facilitate the participation rate of women in the work force.

"I'm excited and exhausted," Al-Sulaiman told Arab News. "I'm still in a shock. I worked hard and went for a win but I also gave myself a leeway so as not to be disappointed if I didn't win."

A male voter in the JCCI election said he believes: "We (as citizens) should give them (women) a chance because they have little representation in society." This man voted for four women in the election, though it is unknown if he marked either Al-Sulaiman or Taher for their current posts.

Seemingly unaware of the significance of what just happened, Al-Sulaiman said: "That is what everybody seems to be telling me," when repeatedly asked if she had made history in Saudi elections.

Women are also staking claim in the traditionally male-dominated engineering field as well. A Saudi woman won a seat to the 10-member board of the Saudi Engineers Council, according to results announced Dec. 27.

"Reactions to my coming forward as a candidate have been positive and supportive," said Nadia Bakhurji to Arab News. She received 431 votes in the election putting her fifth highest among winners.

Approximately 1,500 members of the 5,000-strong Saudi Engineers Council voted in an election with 71 candidates running. Of the 5,000 members, only 20 are women magnifying Bakhurji's candidacy and win significantly.

Formed in 1982 as the Saudi Engineers Committee, the Council was established three years ago and is reported to have had no exclusion of women engineers since its inception.

"There was never any exclusion of women engineers from the days of the Saudi Engineers Committee," said Hashem Al-Shammari, manager of media and public relations to Arab News. "That only one Saudi woman engineer came forward as a candidate is about personal choice."

A key difference between the JCCI elections and the ones the council held comes with the way in which women voted.

"Unlike the voting at the chambers of commerce," said Abdullah Khoja, head of the Council in the Makkah region, "women members cast their votes where and when their male counterparts did at least in the Makkah region."

Bakhurji expressed pride in her successful candidacy. She brought forth the transformation of men's attitudes toward the involvement of women in the political process as a sign of the changing times.

"This marks a victory for all Saudi women whether in this field or any other," said Bakhurji to Arab News. "The fact that men voted for me is a gauge of how men feel about the involvement of women...It's a great honor for me."

In a May 2005 speech in Houston, Saudi Princess Lolowah Al-Faisal addressed the transformation of her country's views on women in the work force. She noted several instances where the Saudi government intervened to create opportunities for women wishing to enter the work force.

"The tremendous annual increase of female graduates that outnumbered male graduates for the past 10 years, as well as the opening of new positions for women in the market pushed for more expansion of the role of the woman in the society in general and in business in particular," said Al-Faisal.

Population expansion has brought about new economic pressures to daily life. With more children and other members to provide for, Saudi families are increasingly turning to women to make up the difference and they are choosing to establish their own businesses instead of staying at home, Al-Faisal added.

To boot, the Council of Ministers, the highest government body in the kingdom, recently issued a nine-point plan advocating the creation of more job opportunities for women, said Al-Faisal. Part of this plan centers on facilitating the Chambers of Commerce and Industry to form a committee whose sole purpose is to train women to secure private sector jobs.

Female advances in the Saudi work force are being met with a certain level of reservation and resistance, however, as the sincerity of women entering the work force is being questioned.

"I don't think that many girls are serious about having a career as much as working in any job until they are married or have children," said potential worker Nabila Mokhtar in Arab News. "Maybe that's why employers don't hire women."

Throughout 2005, women have had a 21 percent unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia, according to government statistics. The report said 97.6 percent of women are in the 30-39 age group.

Some women are also disappointed in the types of jobs being created.

"It seems that we will be replacing low-paid expatriates and taking up low-skilled jobs with no future," said Amal Ahmad, a post-graduate university student in computer science.

Despite the odds, Ahmad takes the shifting playing field as a breath of fresh air and is determined to contribute to society.

"I think it's about time they addressed women's unemployment seriously," said Ahmad. "Why spend so much money educating us and not give us an opportunity to contribute back to society?"