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مقالة صحفية لـ : Dr. Khaled
Batarfi
The 20-member group of
intellectuals who went before the visit of King Abdullah
to China consisted mostly of women. One of them,
Aljohrah Alsodairy (23), spoke fluent Chinese. They made
waves and charmed the Chinese with their excellent
quality and positive attitude.
Reem Al-Faisal, world-class photographer, was in China
three months ago, hobbling from one town to another, six
in all, in the Yunnan Province, south of China to show
her Haj photo collection. In the last decade, she showed
her talent in at least ten cities in Europe, Asia and
the Arab world. Her work was published and praised in
prominent journals like Le Monde, Le Figaro, The
Guardian, Liberation, Canvas and Marie Claire.
•••
The Seventh Jeddah Economic Forum has just ended. More
than 2,700 delegates attended. About a fourth were
women, mostly Saudi. Most organizers and welcoming
committees were college girls. The presence of women in
business, media and academia was very much felt and
appreciated. Effat College for girls alone provided tens
of young organizers.
Etimad Abdulaziz Al-Noaim is a young Saudi journalist.
This was her first assignment. She did extraordinarily
well. In a matter of three days she was transformed from
a shy girl to a confident professional woman. Her
writing and communication talents shined all of a
sudden. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She will never
forget this opportunity.
Ranya Bajsair is the coordinator of the Foreign
Relations Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (JCCI), the forum organizer. Trained in
Swiss schools for eleven years, fluent in three
languages, and a holder of a Master’s degree in business
administration, Ranya was responsible for the VIP stage
room. Ranya prepared note speakers before they faced the
audience and made a great impression.
•••
Rajaa Alsanae, the young girl who wrote the
controversial, best-seller novel, “The Girls of Riyadh,”
was in town discussing her book with readers, men and
women, old and young. She was treated like the respected
intellectual she is, not a scandalous novelist, as some
critics depicted her for describing the secret lives of
four high-class young girls. All characters, of both
sexes, were shown as victims of the known but adamantly
denied ills of our society.
These ills include the way we regard and treat our
better halves as dependents, not equal partners. Because
of such an attitude, too many of us have not cared much
to let our girls independently develop their character,
education, skills and careers.
Our social, educational, legal, political and civil
systems were designed in a way that made it harder for
talented, aspiring and independent women to make their
presence, contribution and partnership in the
development of their nation. How could a woman make it
to the top, if her education and training options are so
limited, work environment so restricted, and job
opportunities so few?
Rajaa visited the Khadija bint Khuwailed Women Center at
the JCCI. She was warmly greeted and encouraged by three
elected and appointed female board members: Madawi
Alhasoon, Lama Al-Suleiman and Olfat Al-Kabbani. Dr.
Nadia Baeshen, the center’s founder and manger,
explained to us how education and training figured in
their pioneering project. In the job market of today,
only the better skilled and well prepared can compete.
Computer, foreign languages, communication skills are
among the highest in demand. It was not by chance that
the center provides intensive, updated and advanced
training courses in these areas.
What do these events have in common? They are all about
women empowerment. I am more optimistic today than any
time in our recent history about women’s place in our
society. We made surprisingly smooth and successful
steps down this road. King Abdullah made it a mark of
his reign to give women their voice, space and
opportunities. They seem to get the message and move
ahead in sure, if not fast, steps to claim their rights.
We have been waiting for the opening of this window for
a long, long time. Wasting it is not an option.
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