[ppi] [ppiindia] What Jobs Suit Women?

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**http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=70866&d=29&m=9&y=2005

Thursday, 29, September, 2005 (25, Sha`ban, 1426)


      What Jobs Suit Women?
      Abeer Mishkhas, abeermishkhas@xxxxxxxxxxxx
     
        
      "THE Council of Ministers approved the new labor law that allows women to 
work in all fields that suit their nature and raises the rate of Saudization of 
jobs in companies to 75 percent." The news published in all the Kingdom's 
papers on Tuesday carried a message for unemployed people that they would find 
a place in one of the country's many companies. It also carried a confused 
concept of what fields women should - or would be allowed to - work in. 

      The phrase "that suits their nature" is ambiguous and it makes us wonder 
who will decide what "suits their nature." In fact, what is a woman's "nature" 
and what jobs does that "nature" qualify her for? This deserves an open public 
debate on what the law means by the word "nature." 

      The striking thing is that no matter what words are used, the fact is 
that women in Saudi Arabia at present have limited choices when it comes to 
jobs. Thus, the idea of limiting their work choices to those that suit their 
"natural" capacities seems to limit even more whatever jobs might be available 
to them.

      Last month another news story said that women should not be allowed to 
work night shifts. That of course created confusion among women doctors and 
nurses. If a woman wants to work as a doctor, she should take full 
responsibility for that work and if she wants to be paid the same as male 
doctors, she should also have the same duties and working hours. This is of 
course speaking hypothetically; what we have to remember is that women will 
never be hospital managers. Because they will not, perhaps that is a good 
excuse to discriminate against men by giving them all the night shifts while - 
surely it is clear - women get the other end of the stick since their "nature" 
obviously does not allow them work at night. The argument against women working 
at night begins and ends with their responsibilities as wives and mothers. 
Critics say it is wrong to make them stay away from their homes at night. Well. 
as far as the law is concerned, I think they need to add an explanatory claus
 e clarifying exactly what the "nature" of women is and what jobs are 
compatible with that "nature."

      Women in Saudi have always been limited to certain fields - such as 
teaching and medicine. In the past 10 years, however, more jobs have become 
available and more women now work in a wider variety of jobs and have also 
proven themselves capable of being productive in those jobs. Of course, 
however, limitations on women still exist in certain areas - law, engineering 
and some top managerial positions.

      In an online debate on the labor law, some voices were angry at the 
inclusion of women in that law with some saying that women are competing with 
men and that they are taking jobs away from them. 

      Others naturally repeated the eternal excuse that women are different 
from men and that their "nature obligates them to stay at home." I wonder why 
women who are divorced, who don't have children, who are single or who have 
adult children have to stay at home? And if there is a chance for them to earn 
money and help themselves and their families, what is in any way wrong with 
that? 

      This said, there are still some hysterical voices screaming that these 
new job opportunities will lead to the mixing of sexes which will lead to the 
utter dissolution of morals and rank depravity! What nonsense! 

      Without any need go overboard or stress the fact that women have limited 
choices, I think all we have to do is remember that in Saudi Arabia no woman 
would work as a construction worker, no woman will work as a street cleaner - 
and - this is important - no Saudi man would either. Perhaps we should add a 
clause to the law that says men have to do only those jobs which are compatible 
with their "nature." 

      It is strange to read the comments from Saudi businessmen who say that 
they do not want to employ Saudi men because they are uncontrollable and will 
not conform to the system. For those businessmen, a non-Saudi worker is obliged 
by his contract and the Kingdom's strict residency laws to work - and the 
employer knows that.

      I think we need to define what the word "nature" means in our Saudi 
context and also what the word implies. Maybe then we could start to understand 
what our men and women can and cannot do. And who knows? Maybe then men will 
give up certain jobs and women will take them. The whole thing deserves a study 
rather than legistlation. 

      In the Spirit of the Month

      Ramadan is almost upon us and the air is beginning to be filled with the 
spirituality that the month brings. Every year, it comes back and with it all 
the festivities and traditions that have marked our memories since childhood. 
In Ramadan, especially for those living in Jeddah, people often go to Makkah to 
pray in the Holy Haram and, for them, that makes the month more memorable and 
more significant. 

      Around the Grand Mosque in Makkah, however, in addition to the pilgrims 
and all kinds of vendors, there are also pickpockets and the self-appointed 
religious know-it-alls. This is the place where each person feels the right to 
chide others and criticize them in public. Around the Holy Kaaba, there is 
always someone who follows women around, telling them to cover themselves and 
to walk away from men. Sometimes they issue judgments branding a person as not 
religious enough or even as being a "kafir." (an atheist or an unbeliever). 
Somehow these things pass us by as being part of the whole scene in Makkah 
during Ramadan. But to some it can be both insulting and nerve-wracking. 

      A friend told me that while she was performing Umrah, she tried to get 
closer to the Kaaba and since there were not many people around, she felt it 
was the perfect chance to take her son closer so that he could get a sense of 
what it means to be so near the House of God. A man in plainclothes told her in 
an insulting voice to cover her face and he called her a "kafir." She felt so 
stunned that it that it took away her spirituality and all she could do was to 
say to the man: "I am not going to answer you." But he repeated the insult, and 
there was nothing for her to do except finish her "tawaf" and feel that she had 
been grossly violated.

      That man is sadly not alone in his behavior. Some of the guards who are 
stationed around the holy places treat people with contempt and disrespect, 
especially women. 

      It is sad enough that we in Saudi Arabia have, over time, become used to 
this - but what about those who come from distant lands to perform their 
religious rituals? What excuse can we offer them when they are treated so 
rudely them and the whole point of their spiritual journey is spoiled? 
     


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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