http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=82233&d=15&m=5&y=2006
Monday, 15, May, 2006 (17, Rabi` al-Thani, 1427)
Women Hold the Key to Prosperity or Failure
Samar Fatany, Arab News
JEDDAH, 15 May 2006 - In many ways, women in Saudi Arabia can be their
own worst enemies when it comes to issues regarding their changing role in
society. A look at the economic statistics and the important role that women
have to play for this society to progress makes many of the challenges obvious,
but the obeisance many women pay to the status quo and long-standing cultural
traditions exact a price on the pace of progress in Saudi Arabia and the
acceptance of a new reality that we can embrace and watch our children flourish
or reject and watch both our society and standard of living crumble.
Ironically, in the worst-case scenario for the future, we would struggle even
to feed or clothe our children, let alone defend our culture or traditions.
It is a harsh appraisal and one that I might not have seen fit to voice
had I not been asked to present a paper regarding the role of women in the
media to inform society about the vision for Saudi women in the future at the
first-ever Forum for Women in Media held April 16 in Riyadh. Held under the
patronage of Princess Adelah bint Abdullah, the forum addressed issues
concerning women in media.
At the end of my lecture there were many who criticized my comments, but
at the same time there were many others who shared my views and appreciated my
efforts to raise a critical issue that remains one of the greatest obstacles in
the way of women's empowerment in Saudi Arabia. Allow me to share with you some
of the points that I raised to those ends. Discord exists between women of
differing viewpoints all over the world. In Saudi Arabia, perhaps because of
the extreme levels of conservatism held by some women, the discord seems to be
more prevalent.
It is unfortunate to note, but women often oppose their Saudi sisters who
call for change and development. For Saudi policy-makers and government
officials this creates a major problem. An example of this would be the move to
issue separate identity cards to women, which was met with rejection and
obstruction of work at government offices and banks as a form of protest.
Because of the importance of this change for the march of progress in the
Kingdom, the government had to impose the change upon them.
Women's reluctance to embrace the change and opportunities extended to
them also is demonstrated by the refusal of women to vote for women candidates
running in chamber elections in the Eastern Province, which resulted in
failure. Even in Jeddah it was the men's vote that put women on the board - not
the limited support of their sisters.
Across the range of reforms sought to empower women to give Saudi Arabia
a much-needed competitive edge in the global marketplace, from schools and
workplaces to hospitals and highways, women often are the ones raising the
roadblocks to change.
Some women object to the participation of students in dramatic and
literary activities at schools for girls. Without demands by schoolteachers for
change, public school girls continue to be deprived of all literary activities.
Despite psychological, hygienic and security concerns about the niqab
(veil) raised by doctors and hospital officials, it is women who exert pressure
to keep in place this trend. Some female doctors and nurses refuse to heed to
these concerns thus compromising their level of efficiency and professionalism
and subjecting patients to needless discomfort.
There is a large number of women who oppose women driving in Saudi
Arabia. This stand has caused countless problems both for working and
nonworking women. As a result, the ban on driving still holds, even though
there is nothing in religion that justifies the ban and literally millions of
Saudi riyals get taken out of the economy because of the nation's imagined need
for drivers, most of them expatriate workers. Women also are to blame for the
absence of physical education in schools. Women hard-liners pay no heed to the
alarming increase in obesity and diabetes among young Saudi girls that
researchers report and that threatens the health of generations to come.
Many women call for the strict enforcement of our strong segregation
laws. This culture of isolation applied to women within the family creates
social and psychological problems, not the least of which is the fact that
depression runs rampant for young boys and girls unable to share the joy of
social life with all members of the family.
Extremist religious practices and resistance to modernization by Saudi
women have earned the disdain of many women worldwide and especially from women
in Arab and Muslim countries.
Many Muslim women in other countries lament the ignorance of Saudi women,
both in terms of Arab and Islamic issues, which compromises the ability of
women throughout the Arab world to move forward and do the best for their
families and themselves. Instead of being a source of strength to the Muslim
world, the position of Saudi women has compromised what should be Saudi
Arabia's leading role in the international arena. During the lecture, I made 10
recommendations to remove the obstacles to empowerment of women in Saudi Arabia.
1. Project the correct Islamic teachings on the role of women in order to
dispel the hodgepodge of antiquated tribal customs and traditions that get
improperly mixed in with the words of God. The world is populated by men and
women who are partners in everything from raising a good family and ensuring a
bright future for their children to building an economically and politically
strong society.
2. Invite enlightened Islamic scholars to help guide the public back to
Islam's declared position on women in the light of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah,
emphasizing the need to protect the Islamic identity of Saudi women while
rejecting excesses and deviations.
3. Encourage civil institutions to fight discrimination against women and
the tragic problem of domestic violence.
4. Highlight successful Saudi women who have proven their excellence in
education, social service, business, media, health and other sectors in order
to encourage women to take a more active role in shaping the nation.
5. Take up women's issues and present a true picture of their problems
and suffering to officials so that they get a real picture of the challenges,
which will help decision-makers set the right course.
6. Raise the levels of education and awareness among women. Women make up
half of our society, and they should be empowered to play effective roles in
the nation's development and share in the decision-making process.
7. Increase the international role of Saudi women to bring nations closer
and promote world peace while encouraging their participation in global
conferences and organizations.
8. Allow Saudi women to help correct the widespread misconceptions about
Muslim women.
9. Allow Saudi women to promote Arab solidarity by fostering friendly
relations and cooperation between the people of the Arab countries.
10. Saudi media has to work to promote the true moderate Islamic culture
and report on current Islamic trends that honor women and respect their rights.
In order to uplift Islamic civilization, we need to find a way to embrace the
advancements of modernity rather than rejecting them out of hand.
We need to find a way to end our hatred of change and differences. The
media can play an important role in making the case for change, and Saudi women
need to play an ever-increasing role in that media. While other societies are
forging ahead, we continue to discuss whether progress is a good idea, and each
day we fall a little farther behind our contemporaries.
The Forum for Women in Media provided the opportunity for media
professionals to discuss the way forward. Media should not be underestimated.
Women in media should be both trained and encouraged to mobilize the national
base toward reform.
It is important because women have to play an equal role in the
decision-making process that will transform our society into a model for other
peoples around the world. If we don't make a strong case for change, our
society is likely to languish.
Shaping the domestic debate toward positive attitudes and global thinking
is a cornerstone of the transformation. It is time for Saudi women - all Saudi
women - to realize that they already are making important contributions to the
national debate. Whether those contributions will be positive, and speed up the
pace of reform, or negative, and send our society and our children closer to a
future of poverty, is something all Saudi women need to understand. The global
village is watching; whether it will wait for us is another question.
- Samar Fatany is a radio journalist. She is based in Jeddah.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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