[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Saudi Women, Opportunities and the Road Ahead

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 06:52:31 +0100
** 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=7&section=0&article=78018&d=19&m=2&y=2006

            Sunday, 19, February, 2006 (20, Muharram, 1427)



                  Saudi Women, Opportunities and the Road Ahead
                  Dr. Khaled Batarfi, kbatarfi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

                 
                    
                  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.
                 
           
     


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



***************************************************************************
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 **
[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Saudi Women, Opportunities and the Road Ahead

Other related posts:
