** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List ** ** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi: ** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ ** ** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral scholarship, kunjungi http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com **http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=84915&d=6&m=7&y=2006&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom Thursday, 6, July, 2006 (10, Jumada al-Thani, 1427) Gulf Women Execs Talk Politics With Kuwait's Dashti Ebtihal Mubarak, Arab News JEDDAH, 6 July 2006 - Rola Dashti was in town yesterday after running unsuccessfully in Kuwait's parliamentary elections last week, which, for the first time, allowed women to run and vote. While none of the 28 women who ran for office in Kuwait won, Dashti dismissed the idea that women were working against the cause. "That's not true at all," she said yesterday at the first seminar organized by the nascent Saudi Business and Professional Women's Association (SBAPWA). The forum was organized and attended by Saudi and Gulf women to discuss their role in business, politics and society at large. Reflecting on her recent campaign, Dashti said women candidates in Kuwait faced many difficulties but continued to run their campaigns despite all odds. "Some of us received death threats," she told the audience. "Campaign signs were removed. I personally was offered 700 votes if I covered my hair and wore hijab. I refused. I would not think of using religion in such a manner." The discussion in the session titled "Women - the Driving Force for Economic Growth: Real Life Success Stories from Middle East and North African Women" heated up on the topic of political participation. Each speaker talked about her experience in her own field and how they overcame the obstacles with strong determination and will power. Afnan Al-Zyayni, a Bahraini business executive who lost her campaign last year to become a member of the Bahraini Business Council, blamed her women colleagues for the loss. "There wasn't enough support from the women's side," she said. "Out of 1,600 registered businesswomen only a few showed up. We need to support each other to reach these decision-making positions." Dashti disagreed with the implication that women weren't doing enough for the cause, but both executives agreed that political participation is not a matter of choice anymore, but rather a necessity for women in the region. Dashti referred to the relatively endemic rate of unemployment of women in the Gulf countries. "We have to eliminate attitudes in the workplace and in the areas of economics and trade. Women have to enroll in common life and decision-making issues. This can only be done through political reform," said Dashti. Raja Al-Garg, a business executive from the United Arab Emirates, pointed out that women represent 20 percent of the work force but only hold about five percent of managerial positions. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/6pRQfA/fOaOAA/yQLSAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi 4. Satu email perhari: ppiindia-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 5. No-email/web only: ppiindia-nomail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 6. kembali menerima email: ppiindia-normal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ppiindia-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List ** ** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi: ** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ ** ** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral scholarship, kunjungi http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com **