RIYADH: For the first time ever, Saudi businesswomen are preparing to be voted into the board of directors of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
Following elections in Jeddah and the Eastern Province, this will be the third time that Saudi women will be able to run for office at a Saudi chamber. Businessmen and businesswomen will compete to grab 10 seats in the election scheduled on Oct. 15.
Wafa’a Al-Sheikh, assistant director at the RCCI, said no businesswoman has so far officially nominated herself to partake in the poll.
She, however, pointed out that the RCCI is preparing businesswomen for the election by conducting a series of workshops explaining the election procedures and the importance of voting. “We have invited 6,000 women to vote for the members they wish to see in the board,” she said.
According to a report, Saudi women own nearly 70 percent of bank accounts in the Kingdom with deposits totaling SR100 billion. However, only SR60 billion of this money has been invested. There are also 34,000 trade records registered under the names of Saudi women, who own 20 percent of private companies in the Kingdom.
Although the elections seem very exciting, some businesswomen, judging by the outcomes of previous elections, expressed doubt that women would win any seats in the upcoming vote.
No women were elected in the Asharqia Chamber elections in 2006, while the two women in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s board were appointed by then Minister of Commerce Hashim Yamani.
“It may be difficult for men to consider giving their votes to a woman candidate,” said Huda Al-Asiri, a 28-year-old businesswoman who runs a fashion designing business. “Members will vote for people they trust, but unfortunately women haven’t been given a chance to show how good leaders they can be due to regulatory and cultural restrictions,” she said.
Modawi Al-Gane’er, one of the first women to be given a license to open a beauty salon in Riyadh, gave her complete support to women candidates.
“No matter what their qualifications are, I think businesswomen in this country need to be supported to become decision makers,” said Al-Gane’er, who has been in business for 27 years.
She added that she prefers to vote for someone who is able to face the same challenges she faces as a woman working in the business sector.
Asked whether she would like to be nominated, Al-Gane’er said, “I would rather observe how the first year goes. When I take this step, I need to be sure that my appointment is not taken as a formality but would allow me to make decisions, attend board meetings and have my ideas considered.”
Despite their achievements in business, Saudi women face obstacles that hinder development. For example, due to the restrictions on unrelated men and women mixing in public places, women need male agents to conduct their business in the governmental circles. Moreover, any business — even if it belongs to a woman — should have a male general manager, regardless of whether the woman practically runs the business or not.
Sarah Al-Shehri, a beauty salon owner, believes the existing regulations do not give women a free hand in managing their businesses. She added that there are a number of obstacles facing businesswomen.
“As a businesswoman, I would rather like to hear about a resolution eliminating the male agent condition. Because women as directors, if they get elected, will face the same problems,” she said.
Al-Shehri added that she would not cast her vote according to gender. She would, instead, give her vote to someone who is loyal and able to serve her interests.
Nadia Bakhurji, who was elected to the board of directors of the Council of Saudi Engineers in 2005, said, “It’s a new victory for Saudi women who will enable them to play a stronger role in the business and the economic development of Saudi Arabia.”
Talking about some of the issues that she wishes to see solved, she said, “We need flexible rules that allow women to operate their businesses without requiring existing male agents. Besides, we require regulations to help women who face legal problems, which most of them are subjected to consistently.”
She added that businesswomen face difficulties in issuing visas to bring laborers.
Speaking about whether the timing of allowing women to be candidates, businesswoman Reem Al-Rasheed said, “It is convenient and conforms with the Kingdom’s political and economic reform.”
She pointed out that women have not been able to participate in economic decision making although they are the half of society. “Any economic decision will remain missing if half of society is not sharing it,” she added.
---Arab News
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