2009-06-04 20:52:33
WAM Geneva, Jun 04th, 2009 (WAM): The United Arab Emirates reiterated today before the world community, its determination to continue the march in the path of women revivalism.
Addressing the annual full-day discussion of the Human Rights Council on women's human rights today, the permanent representative of the UAE at the United Nations Office in Geneva Obeid Salem Al Za'abi said that since the formation of the UAE under the presidency of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the leadership of the country was fully aware of the fact the woman is an equal partner in the process of national development.
The leadership of the country, inspired by its faith in gender equality, adopted a strategy of empowering women in cultural, social and economic fields, Al Za'abi said.
In an intervention made during the discussion, Al Za'abi portrayed how UAE worked to achieve the gender equality in rights and duties through guaranteeing women their right to ownership, employment, social security, economic and financial management, education, healthcare, earning, as well as many other rights.
In our country, the strong presence of women in the leadership roles and positions of decision making is not a new trend, but is a continuation of the march led by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak though her ardent work for the renaissance of the women, said Al Za'abi.
He briefly shed light on various institutions in the UAE established with an objective of empowering women to play the equal role in the nation building. Al Za'abi drew a few examples such as the General Women's Union (GWU), which was founded by HH Sheikh Fatima and the Family Development Foundation (FDF).
Women in UAE holds four seats in the federal cabinet and fills nine seats in a total of 40 seats in the Federal National Council, the country's supreme legislative body. This in addition to a large number of key posts women hold in various ministries and local governments. More over, women represent 59 percent of the total work force in the UAE and enjoy equal opportunity in the economic life, Al Za'abi pointed out.
He also asserted the country's commitment to continue this march under the leadership of President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The Human Rights Council's discussion on women's human rights was entitled equality before the law: concrete steps to further women's equality. The discussion focused on non-discrimination in the law, with a view to identifying concrete steps to further women's equality. The first part addressed institutional perspectives on equality before the law and the second part presented a wider perspective from academia and civil society.
Opening the discussion, Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said international human rights treaties prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex and included guarantees to ensure that women and men enjoyed their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights on a basis of equality.
Despite this perception, global and national realities indicated that there was a wide gulf between international legal obligations and their implementation. Not only did inequality in the legal, civil, economic, political and social arenas violate international obligations, but it also compounded discrimination against women.
When race, religion, ethnicity, poverty, disability, social status, and other forms of discrimination were factored in, then the picture was one of even greater disparity. Moreover, inequality created a climate where violence against women and girls was considered acceptable.
Speaking in the first part of the discussion were Chile, India, Nigeria, Paraguay for MERCOSUR, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Norway, Czech Republic for the European Union, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Philippines for ASEAN, Slovenia, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Russian Federation, Lithuania, Iceland, Turkey, Yemen, Kazakhstan, Serbia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Algeria, China, Indonesia, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa.
Also speaking were the Equality and Human Rights Commission of Great Britain and the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, national human rights institutions. Non-governmental organizations speaking were the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Equality Now, Amnesty International and Women's International Democratic Federation.
The following non-governmental organizations also took the floor: Center for Women's Global Leadership, Worldwide Organization for Women, International Federation of Human Rights and Interfaith International.
International human rights treaties prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex and included guarantees to ensure that women and men enjoyed their civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights on a basis of equality.
WAM/AB
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saudi Arabia: Workshops offer over 500 women top business tips
Walaa Hawari | Arab News
RIYADH: More than 500 Saudi businesswomen and investors are attending four training workshops here today and tomorrow.
Consultants in international trade and international law will conduct them at the 4th Saudi Businesswomen Forum entitled “Active Direction in the Business Environment to Face Economic Changes.”
The workshops have been organized by the women’s branch of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will include outlining procedures for cooperation with international companies as promising investing opportunities for Saudi women. “The forum aims at enhancing the qualifications of the Saudi businesswomen and investors in the face of the rapid changes the Saudi economy is undergoing through activating the powerful economic elements in the Kingdom and achieving development and economic ambitions on the long run,” said Huda Al-Juraisi, director of the organizing committee of the forum. Legal trainers will introduce international trade law, issues pertaining to contracts, content of trade contracts and means to solve disputes in international trade contracts.
According to Al-Juraisi, the forum is considered one of the biggest women’s economic, educational and cultural gatherings in the Kingdom.
“This year’s generous gesture by the businesswomen of sponsoring 150 students to attend the workshops and benefit from the presentations and experiences of the businesswomen free of charge, reflects the understanding of social responsibility which is part of the forum’s mission to support those interested in entering the business and investment world,” said Al-Juraisi.
Areej Bint Homoud Al-Ibraheem, owner of Nawart Najd PR Company — one of the sponsors — praised the Chamber’s efforts to involve businesswomen in economic progress.
Yet as a response to whether the forum is an opportunity for the businesswomen to put forward their demands, Al-Ibraheem says this forum is more of an educational experience.
“The forum is an occasion to present new visions and educate businesswomen about the recent economic status and inform them of the proper ways and means to face them,” explained Al-Ibraheem indicating that there are other events and conferences concerned with coming up with proposals and recommendations and forwarding them to officials.
Amal Zahed, owner of Secas Trading, said the forum offered a chance to sound the voice of Saudi businesswomen. “Such meetings reflect on the demands and needs of businesswomen, and the observation is passed on to the decision-makers to review,” says Zahed. “We should try and make ourselves heard through forums and meetings.”
RIYADH: More than 500 Saudi businesswomen and investors are attending four training workshops here today and tomorrow.
Consultants in international trade and international law will conduct them at the 4th Saudi Businesswomen Forum entitled “Active Direction in the Business Environment to Face Economic Changes.”
The workshops have been organized by the women’s branch of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will include outlining procedures for cooperation with international companies as promising investing opportunities for Saudi women. “The forum aims at enhancing the qualifications of the Saudi businesswomen and investors in the face of the rapid changes the Saudi economy is undergoing through activating the powerful economic elements in the Kingdom and achieving development and economic ambitions on the long run,” said Huda Al-Juraisi, director of the organizing committee of the forum. Legal trainers will introduce international trade law, issues pertaining to contracts, content of trade contracts and means to solve disputes in international trade contracts.
According to Al-Juraisi, the forum is considered one of the biggest women’s economic, educational and cultural gatherings in the Kingdom.
“This year’s generous gesture by the businesswomen of sponsoring 150 students to attend the workshops and benefit from the presentations and experiences of the businesswomen free of charge, reflects the understanding of social responsibility which is part of the forum’s mission to support those interested in entering the business and investment world,” said Al-Juraisi.
Areej Bint Homoud Al-Ibraheem, owner of Nawart Najd PR Company — one of the sponsors — praised the Chamber’s efforts to involve businesswomen in economic progress.
Yet as a response to whether the forum is an opportunity for the businesswomen to put forward their demands, Al-Ibraheem says this forum is more of an educational experience.
“The forum is an occasion to present new visions and educate businesswomen about the recent economic status and inform them of the proper ways and means to face them,” explained Al-Ibraheem indicating that there are other events and conferences concerned with coming up with proposals and recommendations and forwarding them to officials.
Amal Zahed, owner of Secas Trading, said the forum offered a chance to sound the voice of Saudi businesswomen. “Such meetings reflect on the demands and needs of businesswomen, and the observation is passed on to the decision-makers to review,” says Zahed. “We should try and make ourselves heard through forums and meetings.”
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Jordan: Jordanian Women Sifting Death Traps
The Media Line
Written by Abdullah Omar
Published Thursday, April 30, 2009
[Amman, Jordan] “It is only about money,” confesses Hanan ‘Ababna while grabbing a large metal fork as she sifts through landmine-infested fields on the Jordan-Syria border.
Hanan comes from a poor family in the northern city of Mafraq, where unemployment has reached a staggering 30 percent and poverty is on the rise.
The community that once thrived on agriculture and trade currently struggles with the consequences of bad state economic policies, depending on handouts and monthly salaries through social aid networks, rather than through created job opportunities in rural areas.
“If it were not for money I would not be putting my life at risk,” says Hanan.
The scorching heat and slapping cold wind of the desert has turned black and rugged her skin and that of many other girls in this frontier area.
Officials behind the project needed to offer generous financial bait to lure individuals to join this risky business. Each worker gets 540 Jordanian dinars (JD), five times more than the minimum wage, as well as health insurance and compensation in case of injury or death.
Hanan used to work at a local factory as a seamstress, earning "100 JD with bonus”
for herself and her three children.
“It is only because I was a fast worker and hence produced more than my colleagues that they gave me JD 100, otherwise I would have earned no more than JD 85,” she says.
Now Hanan can put enough food on the table and provide education for her children.
“I do not care about what happens to me. I am happy here because I can give my children a good life,” she adds.
Hanan joined dozens of other girls from similar economic and social backgrounds to become the first Jordanian all-female de-mining team. Their first mission is to help male counterparts clear the northern borders with Syria of landmines, remnants of tension between the two Arab countries during the 1970s.
The 10.5 million square meters of mine-infested land is the last stretch of a decade-old campaign to cleanse the country of ordinance. The project aims to remove 136,000 mines that nestle along a 104 km-long mine belt, where dozens of villages are located.
The minefields served not only as a natural deterrent to cross country smuggling, but also hampered residents on the Jordanian side from making the most of the fertile land.
On the other side of the border, farmers from Syria are cultivating the land up to its full potential while villagers in Jordan abandoned their land, preferring to join the army to feed their family.
Activists now say the project of de-mining will allow thousands of farmers and 70,000 villagers to utilize their lands after nearly three decades.
Women Praised
Teams of landminers are shuttled to the minefields every morning at five am, where they gear up to flirt with death traps, donning protective clothing and other paraphernalia.
For project coordinator Qasim Simadi, who supervised the training of the women, his new students showed as much courage and perseverance as men, if not more.
“I saw they wanted to prove themselves. They would wear the heavy clothes and walk towards the landmines without fear. I was impressed,” says Simadi, who insists women are not treated any differently to men.
“This is a job and they have to do it well, otherwise it will be their lives at risk,” he says, noting that the 40 women who applied for the job were reduced to the current 24-member team.
“Not any woman can become a de-miner. They have to be tough in their heads before their bodies,” he claims.
According to Stephen Bryant, NPA program manager in Jordan, gender equality and women’s empowerment are some of the pillars of NPA's work.
Ranging from university graduates to farmers and homemakers, the female de-miners have chosen this career line with NPA looking for employment, financial empowerment or non-traditional occupation.
The desert kingdom, which was involved in several wars with Israel since 1948, launched a project to clear all existing minefields following the signing of the Wadi Araba peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Officials set their sights on 2012 to remove the last mines in 93 minefields in line with Ottawa Mine Ban treaty.
Lack of experience, and probably fear of negative publicity, pushed officials at the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), the organization funding the project, to limit the work of women to surveying the land. Handling of landmines will be at a later stage when they gain experience, says Lina Gazi, a public relations officer at the NPA.
But that job is no less risky, say team members.
Officials at the NPA, many of whom are former army generals, point out that not all minefields have maps, leaving de-miners very vulnerable.
The $10-million project involves more than 100 mine specialists, including members of the local community, with the support of the international community, including Australia, Canada, the European Commission, Germany, Japan and Norway.
Written by Abdullah Omar
Published Thursday, April 30, 2009
[Amman, Jordan] “It is only about money,” confesses Hanan ‘Ababna while grabbing a large metal fork as she sifts through landmine-infested fields on the Jordan-Syria border.
Hanan comes from a poor family in the northern city of Mafraq, where unemployment has reached a staggering 30 percent and poverty is on the rise.
The community that once thrived on agriculture and trade currently struggles with the consequences of bad state economic policies, depending on handouts and monthly salaries through social aid networks, rather than through created job opportunities in rural areas.
“If it were not for money I would not be putting my life at risk,” says Hanan.
The scorching heat and slapping cold wind of the desert has turned black and rugged her skin and that of many other girls in this frontier area.
Officials behind the project needed to offer generous financial bait to lure individuals to join this risky business. Each worker gets 540 Jordanian dinars (JD), five times more than the minimum wage, as well as health insurance and compensation in case of injury or death.
Hanan used to work at a local factory as a seamstress, earning "100 JD with bonus”
for herself and her three children.
“It is only because I was a fast worker and hence produced more than my colleagues that they gave me JD 100, otherwise I would have earned no more than JD 85,” she says.
Now Hanan can put enough food on the table and provide education for her children.
“I do not care about what happens to me. I am happy here because I can give my children a good life,” she adds.
Hanan joined dozens of other girls from similar economic and social backgrounds to become the first Jordanian all-female de-mining team. Their first mission is to help male counterparts clear the northern borders with Syria of landmines, remnants of tension between the two Arab countries during the 1970s.
The 10.5 million square meters of mine-infested land is the last stretch of a decade-old campaign to cleanse the country of ordinance. The project aims to remove 136,000 mines that nestle along a 104 km-long mine belt, where dozens of villages are located.
The minefields served not only as a natural deterrent to cross country smuggling, but also hampered residents on the Jordanian side from making the most of the fertile land.
On the other side of the border, farmers from Syria are cultivating the land up to its full potential while villagers in Jordan abandoned their land, preferring to join the army to feed their family.
Activists now say the project of de-mining will allow thousands of farmers and 70,000 villagers to utilize their lands after nearly three decades.
Women Praised
Teams of landminers are shuttled to the minefields every morning at five am, where they gear up to flirt with death traps, donning protective clothing and other paraphernalia.
For project coordinator Qasim Simadi, who supervised the training of the women, his new students showed as much courage and perseverance as men, if not more.
“I saw they wanted to prove themselves. They would wear the heavy clothes and walk towards the landmines without fear. I was impressed,” says Simadi, who insists women are not treated any differently to men.
“This is a job and they have to do it well, otherwise it will be their lives at risk,” he says, noting that the 40 women who applied for the job were reduced to the current 24-member team.
“Not any woman can become a de-miner. They have to be tough in their heads before their bodies,” he claims.
According to Stephen Bryant, NPA program manager in Jordan, gender equality and women’s empowerment are some of the pillars of NPA's work.
Ranging from university graduates to farmers and homemakers, the female de-miners have chosen this career line with NPA looking for employment, financial empowerment or non-traditional occupation.
The desert kingdom, which was involved in several wars with Israel since 1948, launched a project to clear all existing minefields following the signing of the Wadi Araba peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Officials set their sights on 2012 to remove the last mines in 93 minefields in line with Ottawa Mine Ban treaty.
Lack of experience, and probably fear of negative publicity, pushed officials at the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), the organization funding the project, to limit the work of women to surveying the land. Handling of landmines will be at a later stage when they gain experience, says Lina Gazi, a public relations officer at the NPA.
But that job is no less risky, say team members.
Officials at the NPA, many of whom are former army generals, point out that not all minefields have maps, leaving de-miners very vulnerable.
The $10-million project involves more than 100 mine specialists, including members of the local community, with the support of the international community, including Australia, Canada, the European Commission, Germany, Japan and Norway.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Jordan: Conference opens to support women’s entrepreneurship in the Arab region
Jordan Times
By Omar Obeidat
AMMAN - Over 130 female entrepreneurs from Jordan and 15 other Arab and foreign countries have come together to identify strategies and approaches to boost their businesses’ potential.
Launched in Amman on Monday, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Conference also seeks to increase women’s participation in the labour force and discuss the challenges hindering women’s empowerment.
During the three-day event, female entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with investors interested in funding women’s projects, as well as organisations that support the development of women-owned businesses in the region.
WED, the first of its kind in the Arab region, is organised by the Business Development Centre (BDC) and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO).
BDC President and Chief Executive Officer Nayef Stetieh said the conference brings experts and entrepreneurs dedicated to female entrepreneurship from around the world to develop the support services available to women.
“Despite social challenges, female entrepreneurs in Jordan and the region can be a real source for economic growth,” he added.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) Suhair Al-Ali said in her inauguration speech that Arab women still face several challenges that stand between them and their aspirations.
“There are stereotypes that women do not have the capacity and capability to compete with men in the business field,” she noted, adding that women can be key contributors to economic development in the Arab region.
Women also have difficulties in finding financial resources, which force many female investors and businesswomen to establish only small- and medium-sized projects that can be funded with small loans, Al-Ali said.
She pointed to a study conducted by the World Bank in 2008 which indicated that 85 per cent of women-owned companies in the region are in the industrial sector while the other 15 per cent are in the services sector.
Basma Khlouf, from the northern Mazar Municipality, said that women in the area encounter difficulties in funding their projects due to strict financing rules.
Her main goal in participating in the event, she said, was to find small projects to support women in her “poor area” so they could contribute in improving their families’ living standards.
On the other hand, Iman Majali said that she was able to get a loan 10 years ago to open a private education centre for people with disabilities.
“I started with two employees and now the centre has 23 staff members,” said Majali, who came to the conference to find ways to improve her business’ administration.
The conference targets international development agencies, banks, microfinance institutions and investors interested in funding female-owned projects, in addition to creating partnerships and networking among female entrepreneurs.
“The conference aims to stimulate knowledge and experience sharing among main actors in promoting women’s entrepreneurship development in the region,” ITC-ILO representative Kholoud Khaldi said.
WED is supported by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development , MoPIC, Jordan Enterprise, The National Fund for Enterprise Support, Durham University, the USAID-funded Tatweer Project and Business and Professional Women-Amman.
By Omar Obeidat
AMMAN - Over 130 female entrepreneurs from Jordan and 15 other Arab and foreign countries have come together to identify strategies and approaches to boost their businesses’ potential.
Launched in Amman on Monday, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Conference also seeks to increase women’s participation in the labour force and discuss the challenges hindering women’s empowerment.
During the three-day event, female entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet with investors interested in funding women’s projects, as well as organisations that support the development of women-owned businesses in the region.
WED, the first of its kind in the Arab region, is organised by the Business Development Centre (BDC) and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO).
BDC President and Chief Executive Officer Nayef Stetieh said the conference brings experts and entrepreneurs dedicated to female entrepreneurship from around the world to develop the support services available to women.
“Despite social challenges, female entrepreneurs in Jordan and the region can be a real source for economic growth,” he added.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) Suhair Al-Ali said in her inauguration speech that Arab women still face several challenges that stand between them and their aspirations.
“There are stereotypes that women do not have the capacity and capability to compete with men in the business field,” she noted, adding that women can be key contributors to economic development in the Arab region.
Women also have difficulties in finding financial resources, which force many female investors and businesswomen to establish only small- and medium-sized projects that can be funded with small loans, Al-Ali said.
She pointed to a study conducted by the World Bank in 2008 which indicated that 85 per cent of women-owned companies in the region are in the industrial sector while the other 15 per cent are in the services sector.
Basma Khlouf, from the northern Mazar Municipality, said that women in the area encounter difficulties in funding their projects due to strict financing rules.
Her main goal in participating in the event, she said, was to find small projects to support women in her “poor area” so they could contribute in improving their families’ living standards.
On the other hand, Iman Majali said that she was able to get a loan 10 years ago to open a private education centre for people with disabilities.
“I started with two employees and now the centre has 23 staff members,” said Majali, who came to the conference to find ways to improve her business’ administration.
The conference targets international development agencies, banks, microfinance institutions and investors interested in funding female-owned projects, in addition to creating partnerships and networking among female entrepreneurs.
“The conference aims to stimulate knowledge and experience sharing among main actors in promoting women’s entrepreneurship development in the region,” ITC-ILO representative Kholoud Khaldi said.
WED is supported by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development , MoPIC, Jordan Enterprise, The National Fund for Enterprise Support, Durham University, the USAID-funded Tatweer Project and Business and Professional Women-Amman.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jordan: Latouf highlights importance of women’s empowerment
AMMAN (Petra) - Minister of Social Development Hala Latouf on Tuesday inaugurated a workshop on empowering women leaders in the Middle East. She highlighted Jordan’s programmes to empower women, noting that national strategies need to encourage women’s contributions in different economic activities. Organised by the US-based NGO Seeds of Peace, the workshop aimed at creating a suitable environment to help increase women's participation in political life.
Jordan: Latouf highlights importance of women’s empowerment
AMMAN (Petra) - Minister of Social Development Hala Latouf on Tuesday inaugurated a workshop on empowering women leaders in the Middle East. She highlighted Jordan’s programmes to empower women, noting that national strategies need to encourage women’s contributions in different economic activities. Organised by the US-based NGO Seeds of Peace, the workshop aimed at creating a suitable environment to help increase women's participation in political life.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Oman: Omani Women En Route to Economic Independence
MEPI
In Oman, small businesses are considered a critical factor for economic growth and recovery. Assisting women in attaining professional entrepreneurial skills to maximize small business potential is a driving force for many countries economic growth. Supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program, Dar Al Atta, a leading charitable organization in Oman, started a program to encourage small and medium business ownership for economically disadvantaged women from different regions in Oman. To improve and enhance the economic climate for women’s entrepreneurship, Dar Al Atta conducted training for 65 women from low income families throughout the country in January and February 2009. Participants learned how to launch a business, achieve professional success and climb the entrepreneurship ladder.
Further training sessions taught participants how to develop a business idea, organize a business program, estimate start-up funding, and develop a business plan, as well as information and communication technology and E-Commerce skills. The women also acquired leadership and management skills that will support them in their outreach to funding agencies in Oman and in their successful small business operations. Six key-note speakers from the Omani Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Manpower and a successful women entrepreneur communicated their experience and provided insights on utilizing tools for business progress. As part of the MEPI-sponsored project, a web portal is also being developed to provide business development resources, information on local incubators and government supported-programs, and a network of local entrepreneurs. The portal will serve as a medium for women business owners to share collective wisdom.
Through MEPI grantee Dar Al Atta’s efforts, Omani women will be energized to invest in themselves, boost their living standards, and realize their goals to be economically independent. Next project steps will include: offering further training for women in other regions, finalizing a small and medium business instructional toolkit, and launching the entrepreneurship web portal so that more women will be able to achieve professional success.
This MEPI local grant project was covered recently in Oman’s local press, including the Times of Oman and Al Osra.
In Oman, small businesses are considered a critical factor for economic growth and recovery. Assisting women in attaining professional entrepreneurial skills to maximize small business potential is a driving force for many countries economic growth. Supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program, Dar Al Atta, a leading charitable organization in Oman, started a program to encourage small and medium business ownership for economically disadvantaged women from different regions in Oman. To improve and enhance the economic climate for women’s entrepreneurship, Dar Al Atta conducted training for 65 women from low income families throughout the country in January and February 2009. Participants learned how to launch a business, achieve professional success and climb the entrepreneurship ladder.
Further training sessions taught participants how to develop a business idea, organize a business program, estimate start-up funding, and develop a business plan, as well as information and communication technology and E-Commerce skills. The women also acquired leadership and management skills that will support them in their outreach to funding agencies in Oman and in their successful small business operations. Six key-note speakers from the Omani Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Manpower and a successful women entrepreneur communicated their experience and provided insights on utilizing tools for business progress. As part of the MEPI-sponsored project, a web portal is also being developed to provide business development resources, information on local incubators and government supported-programs, and a network of local entrepreneurs. The portal will serve as a medium for women business owners to share collective wisdom.
Through MEPI grantee Dar Al Atta’s efforts, Omani women will be energized to invest in themselves, boost their living standards, and realize their goals to be economically independent. Next project steps will include: offering further training for women in other regions, finalizing a small and medium business instructional toolkit, and launching the entrepreneurship web portal so that more women will be able to achieve professional success.
This MEPI local grant project was covered recently in Oman’s local press, including the Times of Oman and Al Osra.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Saudi Arabia: Women graduates leave Kingdom for GCC jobs
By Aysha Afifi, Saudi Gazette
RIYADH – Many Saudi female graduates are being forced to look for jobs in neighboring countries as there are not enough opportunities for them in the Kingdom, Dr. Salwa Al-Khateeb, a King Saud University professor, said here Wednesday.
She said the number of unemployed female Saudi graduates has been increasing every year because of a lack of opportunities for them. This explains, she said, the trend of seeking jobs in neighboring countries. Several women graduates have now taken up teaching assignments in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, she said.
Official statistics, she said, show that 176,000 Saudi women graduates are unemployed which represents an unemployment rate of 26 percent. “Only 500,000 out of five million Saudi women have jobs. This shows that the total workforce of Saudi women in the Kingdom is only 10 percent which is the lowest in the world,” Dr. Al-Khateeb said.
The statistics also show that the majority of Saudi working women are employed by the government and occupy 31.1 percent of all public sector jobs. Most of these women work in the field of education, health and social affairs, she added.
Dr. Al-Khateeb said that Saudi working women are prevented from assuming an effective role in public life by social obstacles, such as, a lack of work culture, discipline, family cooperation and transportation.
She said that there are also professional obstacles facing Saudi working women, such as, the low scientific standard of the graduates and their lack of training and experience.
To overcome these deficiencies, Dr. Al-Khateeb suggested the introduction of new specializations in higher education to meet the requirements of the labor market, as well as establishing rules to protect working women.
She said that the government has always been keen on devoting a large portion of its budget to the development of human resources which is why in the 7th Five-Year Development Plan it allocated 57.1 percent for the development of human resources.
However, there is a need for more attention to be given to women because the high rate of women’s unemployment will definitely affect society’s growth and progress, she added.
She said the issue of women’s work is receiving due attention by researchers specialized in different aspects of human sciences, such as, sociology, education and anthropology, but that there are few studies on the employment of women in the private sector. – SG
RIYADH – Many Saudi female graduates are being forced to look for jobs in neighboring countries as there are not enough opportunities for them in the Kingdom, Dr. Salwa Al-Khateeb, a King Saud University professor, said here Wednesday.
She said the number of unemployed female Saudi graduates has been increasing every year because of a lack of opportunities for them. This explains, she said, the trend of seeking jobs in neighboring countries. Several women graduates have now taken up teaching assignments in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, she said.
Official statistics, she said, show that 176,000 Saudi women graduates are unemployed which represents an unemployment rate of 26 percent. “Only 500,000 out of five million Saudi women have jobs. This shows that the total workforce of Saudi women in the Kingdom is only 10 percent which is the lowest in the world,” Dr. Al-Khateeb said.
The statistics also show that the majority of Saudi working women are employed by the government and occupy 31.1 percent of all public sector jobs. Most of these women work in the field of education, health and social affairs, she added.
Dr. Al-Khateeb said that Saudi working women are prevented from assuming an effective role in public life by social obstacles, such as, a lack of work culture, discipline, family cooperation and transportation.
She said that there are also professional obstacles facing Saudi working women, such as, the low scientific standard of the graduates and their lack of training and experience.
To overcome these deficiencies, Dr. Al-Khateeb suggested the introduction of new specializations in higher education to meet the requirements of the labor market, as well as establishing rules to protect working women.
She said that the government has always been keen on devoting a large portion of its budget to the development of human resources which is why in the 7th Five-Year Development Plan it allocated 57.1 percent for the development of human resources.
However, there is a need for more attention to be given to women because the high rate of women’s unemployment will definitely affect society’s growth and progress, she added.
She said the issue of women’s work is receiving due attention by researchers specialized in different aspects of human sciences, such as, sociology, education and anthropology, but that there are few studies on the employment of women in the private sector. – SG
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Saudi Arabia: Makkah laundry hires 50 women
MAKKAH - More than 50 Saudi women will work in the biggest central laundry in Makkah that was inaugurated on Monday.
“Employing Saudi women in private sector is an important step towards developing the Kingdom’s economy,” said Adel Ka’ki, head of Makkah Chamber for Commerce and Industry, after inaugurating the laundry.
Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, Executive Manager in Ilaf Group for Tourists and Travel, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
The project presents a golden chance for women to get employment, Adel Ka’ki said. “This is the first time that Saudi women have been employed in this type of project. The women were trained to handle the most modern equipment,” said Mahfouz.
The project’s services will include Makkah and Jeddah, Mahfouz said.According to Muna Ba Aremah, General Manager of the project, they spent two years in finalizing the laundry which has world’s best available machines.
“The project aims to expand the work and business culture among Saudi women,” added Ba Aremah. “Our main aim to employ women has been achieved. Saudi women have shown their ability to perform this delicate task,” he added.
By Diana Al-Jassem Saudi Gazette
“Employing Saudi women in private sector is an important step towards developing the Kingdom’s economy,” said Adel Ka’ki, head of Makkah Chamber for Commerce and Industry, after inaugurating the laundry.
Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, Executive Manager in Ilaf Group for Tourists and Travel, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
The project presents a golden chance for women to get employment, Adel Ka’ki said. “This is the first time that Saudi women have been employed in this type of project. The women were trained to handle the most modern equipment,” said Mahfouz.
The project’s services will include Makkah and Jeddah, Mahfouz said.According to Muna Ba Aremah, General Manager of the project, they spent two years in finalizing the laundry which has world’s best available machines.
“The project aims to expand the work and business culture among Saudi women,” added Ba Aremah. “Our main aim to employ women has been achieved. Saudi women have shown their ability to perform this delicate task,” he added.
By Diana Al-Jassem Saudi Gazette
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Middle East: Youth Bulge: Challenge or Opportunity?
Brookings Institute: The youth challenge is the most critical 21st century economic development challenge facing the Middle East.
In my brief remarks today, I would like to make one central point: The youth challenge is the most critical 21st century economic development challenge facing the Middle East. In a region where almost 65% of the population is under the age of 30, long term prosperity and stability hinges on the opportunities afforded to this generation. While radicalism and terrorism remain critical security concerns, the majority of Middle Eastern youth are involved in a different fight: a fight for better education, jobs and affordable housing. It is on the back of this generation that the Middle East will build a future middle class - a middle class which can be a catalyst for more open and democratic societies. Therefore to advance U.S. interests in the Middle East, we need more than anti-radicalization strategy; we need a strategy that elevates youth-development alongside defense and diplomacy both in principle and practice.
Drawing both on our research at Brookings and a recent trip to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where I worked with young people I would like to elaborate on this main thesis by focusing on three areas: first, to show that the Middle East is at a critical juncture and how a large youth bulge presents opportunities for growth and prosperity; second, to outline the main challenges facing youth in the region; and third, to showcase some of the implications for policy, especially U.S. policy with regards to the region.
Recognizing that the Middle East is at crossroads, we have to realize that there is a narrow window of opportunity to build a foundation for lasting prosperity. The region faces a scenario of double dividend or double jeopardy: for the first time in its modern history, the Middle East is simultaneously experiencing an economic boom and a demographic boon. The region is experiencing its best economic performance in three decades – oil and non oil producing countries alike are showing record growth. Second, the region has a large youth bulge, presenting a large pool of human capital which if used productively can usher growth and prosperity. If countries can take advantage of the confluence of these two historic gifts, they can create a virtuous cycle of higher growth, higher incomes and savings. Failure to do so will result in a double jeopardy: the economic and social exclusion of youth drains growth and creates social strife. But the time for securing this double dividend is now. The window of opportunity – where countries have fewer dependents - will close in the next ten to fifteen years.
Middle Eastern economies can seize this opportunity as many Asian economies have done. However, without urgent reform, the region risks missing this historic opportunity. Already, there are some alarming signs. Despite good economic growth, prospects for young people are not improving significantly or rapidly. This has been a central pre-occupation of the Middle East Youth Initiative – to understand why young people continue to be excluded.
I will be sharing some of the concepts and ideas that our studies and work have led to.
The majority of 15-24 and 25-30 year olds in the region are confronted with a new life phase we have termed waithood – a concept that refers to the bewildering time in which large proportions of Middle Eastern youth spend their best years waiting. It is a phase in which the difficulties youth face in each of these interrelated spheres of life result in a debilitating state of helplessness and dependency. Waithood can be best understood by examining outcomes and linkages across five different sectors: education, employment, housing, credit, and marriage.
Poorly prepared for the labor market by their educational systems, Middle Eastern youth face unemployment rates that are nearly twice the world average (20-40 percent compared to 10-20 percent). Furthermore, their queuing time for their first job is measured in years rather than months compared to their counterparts in Asia and Latin America. I’ve met many youth in the region who have waited 3-4 years for a public sector job.
With regards to housing – all the oil money flowing into the region has sent the costs of real estate soaring in urban cities. This often compromises young people’s ability to get married and lead independent lives. Furthermore, while credit allows youth in other parts of the world to smooth their future consumption, in many Middle Eastern countries, poorly functioning credit markets fail in their basic purpose.
As a result of not being able to afford a dowry, or a house, young Middle Eastern men are involuntarily delaying marriage, which in the region, is a rite to passage for adulthood, independence and legitimate sexual relationships. Today, the average age of marriage is on the rise in most Middle Eastern countries, imposing economic and social costs which have yet to be fully understood. All this compounds the dependency of youth on their parents.
So we get back to the question: why does this waithood persist even in good times? The root cause lies in the economic and social institutions and the signals they send which shapes behavior and decisions. Think of this as the invisible infrastructure – the rules of the game which organize society. In the Middle East, this invisible infrastructure is based on an education system which prepares youth for public sector employment, thereby reinforcing three problematic ideas. First, that a university education is the only prize worth pursuing. Second, the notion of a lifetime secure desk job. Third, that readiness for marriage is largely contingent upon both a university education and a stable job which only perpetuates the lure for degrees and desk jobs. But with globalization and privatization, this invisible infrastructure is no longer functioning as it should. Let me illustrate this concept with some examples and facts from the ground.
Parents in the region invest billions of dollars in private tutoring to increasingly prep their children for standardized tests, so children end up learning a narrow set of skills. Then donors and governments must spend resources re-training these very youth to given them a wider range of skills because of the limitedness and poor quality of their initial education. Public policy would be infinitely more effective if parents had the incentives to invest in broader skills, rather than governments and donors undoing the investment of parents.
Through a focus group we held in Jordan, we found that young men are willing to continue waiting for public sector jobs which may never materialize. They are not incentivized to search for a job in the private sector (informal or formal) because they feel the wait is much better than the stigma and insecurity attached to work in the private sector.
Why do youth who have lower opportunity costs not undertake more voluntary work? A Gallup poll in 2006/2007 asked Middle Eastern youth “in the last month, did you volunteer your time to an organization”. The regional average was just 11%; in countries like Jordan, only 4% of respondents answered yes. The reason is because youth and their families have no incentives to invest in volunteerism; neither public nor private sector jobs value these experiences, and universities base their decisions on nothing but national rankings on standardized testing.
But all is not lost – because here you have a region where parents are willing to do anything for their children; most youth are in school and spend years working for their future; and policy makers are increasingly more concerned about these issues.
Now I will touch upon the implications these challenges pose for policymaking with a particular focus on the U.S. perspective.
First, the youth challenges that the region is facing are driven by economic and social incentives, which in turn shape the decisions taken by millions of families and youth. Youth transitions constitute outcomes across several interconnected markets, most importantly in education, labor, credit, and marriage. Program and Policies need to exploit these inter-linkages. For example, if programs are going to provide credit to young people to start their own businesses, it is important to build-in clear criteria which are based not only on their diplomas but what they have achieved outside school to incentivize volunteerism and extracurricular activities.
Second, the chasm in U.S.-Middle East relations has emerged amidst greater convergence in ideas and aspirations. Triggered by a large youth cohort, the Middle East is undergoing change where it is aligning with fundamental drivers of globalization. The region has embraced the idea of market economy and values education. Middle Eastern youth ascribe to the fundamental pro-growth norms of behavior such as hard work and high investment in children including girls.
There is a strong foundation to build a future middle class. These are all areas where the U.S. is a leader. As the country with the world’s best record in harnessing the energy of youth, there is much the U.S. can offer the Middle East. The U.S. relationship with the region should be cast on broader terms, making youth development as a template for exercising smart power.
Key recommendations include exporting soft technology for institutional reform of education. Youth in the U.S. have a relatively smooth transition to adulthood compared to most advanced countries. Transitions to adulthood in the US are facilitated because of the close integration between the education system and the labor market. The U.S institutional set up may not fit the Middle East perfectly, but as with all exports, soft technology exports can be adapted to fit local conditions. The educational system in the U.S. has already provided the region with great institutions of higher education – such as the American Universities of Beirut and Cairo—which have produced many of the region’s leaders. The US can extend assistance on a broader scale encompassing curriculum reform for high schools, the transition from high school to university (reforms of university admission practices), and the transition from school to work. Government should create incentives for greater collaboration between Middle Eastern and U.S. non governmental organizations, research institutes and universities.
The challenge is how the U.S. can build on its strengths and can be seen as genuinely interested in economic development. At the moment, there is a lack of instruments for such an exchange. In fact, currently, the Foreign Assistance Act does not have an explicit window to target funds for youth. The language of the Foreign Assistance Act should be changed to overcome this policy flaw. Youth development should be given priority, particularly in countries experiencing “youth bulge” and high rates of youth unemployment.
And finally, the discourse on the Middle East is highly and exclusively political and lacks an economic development focus. Addressing Middle Eastern youth solely through the prism of potential extremism misses the opportunity for aligning U.S. policy with the aspirations of the majority of the moderate citizens in the Middle East. It alienates the very people we are trying to help. Currently, there is re-negotiation of the rules of the game in the region, and it is being spurred by youth, who we should be empowering and supporting.
By Navtej Dhillon, Fellow/Director of the Middle East Youth Initiative, co-presented at a panel of experts to congressional staffers from the Foreign Relations Committee on the implications and opportunities of the youth bulge and how states and outside organizations are trying to respond. Joining him were Honorable Marwan Muasher, Senior Vice President at the World Bank, and Ellen Laipson, President/CEO of the Stimson Center.
In my brief remarks today, I would like to make one central point: The youth challenge is the most critical 21st century economic development challenge facing the Middle East. In a region where almost 65% of the population is under the age of 30, long term prosperity and stability hinges on the opportunities afforded to this generation. While radicalism and terrorism remain critical security concerns, the majority of Middle Eastern youth are involved in a different fight: a fight for better education, jobs and affordable housing. It is on the back of this generation that the Middle East will build a future middle class - a middle class which can be a catalyst for more open and democratic societies. Therefore to advance U.S. interests in the Middle East, we need more than anti-radicalization strategy; we need a strategy that elevates youth-development alongside defense and diplomacy both in principle and practice.
Drawing both on our research at Brookings and a recent trip to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where I worked with young people I would like to elaborate on this main thesis by focusing on three areas: first, to show that the Middle East is at a critical juncture and how a large youth bulge presents opportunities for growth and prosperity; second, to outline the main challenges facing youth in the region; and third, to showcase some of the implications for policy, especially U.S. policy with regards to the region.
Recognizing that the Middle East is at crossroads, we have to realize that there is a narrow window of opportunity to build a foundation for lasting prosperity. The region faces a scenario of double dividend or double jeopardy: for the first time in its modern history, the Middle East is simultaneously experiencing an economic boom and a demographic boon. The region is experiencing its best economic performance in three decades – oil and non oil producing countries alike are showing record growth. Second, the region has a large youth bulge, presenting a large pool of human capital which if used productively can usher growth and prosperity. If countries can take advantage of the confluence of these two historic gifts, they can create a virtuous cycle of higher growth, higher incomes and savings. Failure to do so will result in a double jeopardy: the economic and social exclusion of youth drains growth and creates social strife. But the time for securing this double dividend is now. The window of opportunity – where countries have fewer dependents - will close in the next ten to fifteen years.
Middle Eastern economies can seize this opportunity as many Asian economies have done. However, without urgent reform, the region risks missing this historic opportunity. Already, there are some alarming signs. Despite good economic growth, prospects for young people are not improving significantly or rapidly. This has been a central pre-occupation of the Middle East Youth Initiative – to understand why young people continue to be excluded.
I will be sharing some of the concepts and ideas that our studies and work have led to.
The majority of 15-24 and 25-30 year olds in the region are confronted with a new life phase we have termed waithood – a concept that refers to the bewildering time in which large proportions of Middle Eastern youth spend their best years waiting. It is a phase in which the difficulties youth face in each of these interrelated spheres of life result in a debilitating state of helplessness and dependency. Waithood can be best understood by examining outcomes and linkages across five different sectors: education, employment, housing, credit, and marriage.
Poorly prepared for the labor market by their educational systems, Middle Eastern youth face unemployment rates that are nearly twice the world average (20-40 percent compared to 10-20 percent). Furthermore, their queuing time for their first job is measured in years rather than months compared to their counterparts in Asia and Latin America. I’ve met many youth in the region who have waited 3-4 years for a public sector job.
With regards to housing – all the oil money flowing into the region has sent the costs of real estate soaring in urban cities. This often compromises young people’s ability to get married and lead independent lives. Furthermore, while credit allows youth in other parts of the world to smooth their future consumption, in many Middle Eastern countries, poorly functioning credit markets fail in their basic purpose.
As a result of not being able to afford a dowry, or a house, young Middle Eastern men are involuntarily delaying marriage, which in the region, is a rite to passage for adulthood, independence and legitimate sexual relationships. Today, the average age of marriage is on the rise in most Middle Eastern countries, imposing economic and social costs which have yet to be fully understood. All this compounds the dependency of youth on their parents.
So we get back to the question: why does this waithood persist even in good times? The root cause lies in the economic and social institutions and the signals they send which shapes behavior and decisions. Think of this as the invisible infrastructure – the rules of the game which organize society. In the Middle East, this invisible infrastructure is based on an education system which prepares youth for public sector employment, thereby reinforcing three problematic ideas. First, that a university education is the only prize worth pursuing. Second, the notion of a lifetime secure desk job. Third, that readiness for marriage is largely contingent upon both a university education and a stable job which only perpetuates the lure for degrees and desk jobs. But with globalization and privatization, this invisible infrastructure is no longer functioning as it should. Let me illustrate this concept with some examples and facts from the ground.
Parents in the region invest billions of dollars in private tutoring to increasingly prep their children for standardized tests, so children end up learning a narrow set of skills. Then donors and governments must spend resources re-training these very youth to given them a wider range of skills because of the limitedness and poor quality of their initial education. Public policy would be infinitely more effective if parents had the incentives to invest in broader skills, rather than governments and donors undoing the investment of parents.
Through a focus group we held in Jordan, we found that young men are willing to continue waiting for public sector jobs which may never materialize. They are not incentivized to search for a job in the private sector (informal or formal) because they feel the wait is much better than the stigma and insecurity attached to work in the private sector.
Why do youth who have lower opportunity costs not undertake more voluntary work? A Gallup poll in 2006/2007 asked Middle Eastern youth “in the last month, did you volunteer your time to an organization”. The regional average was just 11%; in countries like Jordan, only 4% of respondents answered yes. The reason is because youth and their families have no incentives to invest in volunteerism; neither public nor private sector jobs value these experiences, and universities base their decisions on nothing but national rankings on standardized testing.
But all is not lost – because here you have a region where parents are willing to do anything for their children; most youth are in school and spend years working for their future; and policy makers are increasingly more concerned about these issues.
Now I will touch upon the implications these challenges pose for policymaking with a particular focus on the U.S. perspective.
First, the youth challenges that the region is facing are driven by economic and social incentives, which in turn shape the decisions taken by millions of families and youth. Youth transitions constitute outcomes across several interconnected markets, most importantly in education, labor, credit, and marriage. Program and Policies need to exploit these inter-linkages. For example, if programs are going to provide credit to young people to start their own businesses, it is important to build-in clear criteria which are based not only on their diplomas but what they have achieved outside school to incentivize volunteerism and extracurricular activities.
Second, the chasm in U.S.-Middle East relations has emerged amidst greater convergence in ideas and aspirations. Triggered by a large youth cohort, the Middle East is undergoing change where it is aligning with fundamental drivers of globalization. The region has embraced the idea of market economy and values education. Middle Eastern youth ascribe to the fundamental pro-growth norms of behavior such as hard work and high investment in children including girls.
There is a strong foundation to build a future middle class. These are all areas where the U.S. is a leader. As the country with the world’s best record in harnessing the energy of youth, there is much the U.S. can offer the Middle East. The U.S. relationship with the region should be cast on broader terms, making youth development as a template for exercising smart power.
Key recommendations include exporting soft technology for institutional reform of education. Youth in the U.S. have a relatively smooth transition to adulthood compared to most advanced countries. Transitions to adulthood in the US are facilitated because of the close integration between the education system and the labor market. The U.S institutional set up may not fit the Middle East perfectly, but as with all exports, soft technology exports can be adapted to fit local conditions. The educational system in the U.S. has already provided the region with great institutions of higher education – such as the American Universities of Beirut and Cairo—which have produced many of the region’s leaders. The US can extend assistance on a broader scale encompassing curriculum reform for high schools, the transition from high school to university (reforms of university admission practices), and the transition from school to work. Government should create incentives for greater collaboration between Middle Eastern and U.S. non governmental organizations, research institutes and universities.
The challenge is how the U.S. can build on its strengths and can be seen as genuinely interested in economic development. At the moment, there is a lack of instruments for such an exchange. In fact, currently, the Foreign Assistance Act does not have an explicit window to target funds for youth. The language of the Foreign Assistance Act should be changed to overcome this policy flaw. Youth development should be given priority, particularly in countries experiencing “youth bulge” and high rates of youth unemployment.
And finally, the discourse on the Middle East is highly and exclusively political and lacks an economic development focus. Addressing Middle Eastern youth solely through the prism of potential extremism misses the opportunity for aligning U.S. policy with the aspirations of the majority of the moderate citizens in the Middle East. It alienates the very people we are trying to help. Currently, there is re-negotiation of the rules of the game in the region, and it is being spurred by youth, who we should be empowering and supporting.
By Navtej Dhillon, Fellow/Director of the Middle East Youth Initiative, co-presented at a panel of experts to congressional staffers from the Foreign Relations Committee on the implications and opportunities of the youth bulge and how states and outside organizations are trying to respond. Joining him were Honorable Marwan Muasher, Senior Vice President at the World Bank, and Ellen Laipson, President/CEO of the Stimson Center.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Saudi Arabia: Economic fears move Saudi women into jobs
RIYADH - Economic necessity is forcing hardline clerics and conservative society in Saudi Arabia to accept the idea of women in the workplace, a government official said in an interview this weekend.
Faisal bin Muammar, head of a body promoting 'national dialogue', said high unemployment among Saudis and the reliance upon 7 million foreign workers was forcing the hand of opponents to women working in the desert country of 24 million people.
The debate -- as demonstrated at a major forum last month of clerics, ministers and businesswomen -- has now moved to whether women can work in the same office space as men, or if firms must provide segregated areas to allow women to work.
'Most agreed to open a wide arena for women to get jobs, since girls now graduate more than boys from universities. We cannot go on having 7 million foreigners and our graduate women in their houses,' bin Muammar told Reuters.
'But how to establish it (is the issue), whether it is in separate or mixed places ... We need to make rules for it, which clerics, families and social leaders need.'
Saudi Arabia is one of the most conservative countries in the world, where social values and a powerful clerical establishment impose male guardians on women, segregate them from unrelated men in public areas and ban them from driving.
Liberal reformers in government, such as Labour Minister Ghazi Algosaibi, have sounded alarm bells about living with unemployment, which is officially estimated at 12 percent but is much higher for women, while millions of foreign workers could one day demand national rights.
Social resistance
Segregation is costing the country money. Thousands of expatriates are employed as drivers for women because of the ban on driving cars.
Women at the national dialogue meeting last month -- speaking from a separate room so they could be heard but not seen -- said firms would have to provide extras such as special transport for them to get to work, given social rules.
One cleric, Justice Ministry adviser Abdel-Mohsen al-Obaikan, provoked controversy when al-Hayat newspaper quoted him saying there was no sharia ban on women 'mixing' with men.
He then issued a denial, signalling how sensitive the topic remains in a country that has long been a close U.S. ally and the world's top exporter of oil.
King Abdullah's policy of promoting moderation in Saudi Arabia's version of Sunni Islam has helped mend ties with Washington, damaged after it emerged that 15 Saudis were among the 19 men who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001.
The King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue was set up by King Abdullah in 2003 when he was crown prince.
'There is a big programme to moderate the country ... It is not because we want to gain other's satisfaction,' bin Muammar said. 'Saudi Arabia is unique in that since unification most development and changes have been initiated by government and society is sometimes resisting changes.'
Saudi Arabia has no political parties or elected parliament. Governance is the prerogative of the Al Saud family and their rule is legitimised by the clerics who administer sharia law.
-- Reuters
Faisal bin Muammar, head of a body promoting 'national dialogue', said high unemployment among Saudis and the reliance upon 7 million foreign workers was forcing the hand of opponents to women working in the desert country of 24 million people.
The debate -- as demonstrated at a major forum last month of clerics, ministers and businesswomen -- has now moved to whether women can work in the same office space as men, or if firms must provide segregated areas to allow women to work.
'Most agreed to open a wide arena for women to get jobs, since girls now graduate more than boys from universities. We cannot go on having 7 million foreigners and our graduate women in their houses,' bin Muammar told Reuters.
'But how to establish it (is the issue), whether it is in separate or mixed places ... We need to make rules for it, which clerics, families and social leaders need.'
Saudi Arabia is one of the most conservative countries in the world, where social values and a powerful clerical establishment impose male guardians on women, segregate them from unrelated men in public areas and ban them from driving.
Liberal reformers in government, such as Labour Minister Ghazi Algosaibi, have sounded alarm bells about living with unemployment, which is officially estimated at 12 percent but is much higher for women, while millions of foreign workers could one day demand national rights.
Social resistance
Segregation is costing the country money. Thousands of expatriates are employed as drivers for women because of the ban on driving cars.
Women at the national dialogue meeting last month -- speaking from a separate room so they could be heard but not seen -- said firms would have to provide extras such as special transport for them to get to work, given social rules.
One cleric, Justice Ministry adviser Abdel-Mohsen al-Obaikan, provoked controversy when al-Hayat newspaper quoted him saying there was no sharia ban on women 'mixing' with men.
He then issued a denial, signalling how sensitive the topic remains in a country that has long been a close U.S. ally and the world's top exporter of oil.
King Abdullah's policy of promoting moderation in Saudi Arabia's version of Sunni Islam has helped mend ties with Washington, damaged after it emerged that 15 Saudis were among the 19 men who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001.
The King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue was set up by King Abdullah in 2003 when he was crown prince.
'There is a big programme to moderate the country ... It is not because we want to gain other's satisfaction,' bin Muammar said. 'Saudi Arabia is unique in that since unification most development and changes have been initiated by government and society is sometimes resisting changes.'
Saudi Arabia has no political parties or elected parliament. Governance is the prerogative of the Al Saud family and their rule is legitimised by the clerics who administer sharia law.
-- Reuters
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saudi Arabia: Lifting Ban on Women Driving Will Bring Economic Windfall: Experts
As women’s rights groups continue to steam ahead in full speed petitioning for the reversal of the ban on women’s driving in the Kingdom, experts on the issue conclude that the move, if successful, would not only lift the ban itself but the Saudi economy as well.
“Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways,” said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh.
“First, by putting a large portion of house drivers out of work and increasing the purchasing power of Saudi families; secondly by causing a shift in the ownership of vehicles; and thirdly by a trickle down of additional vehicles being sold to women translating into greater opportunities of opening up new markets.”
Accounting for 49 percent of the population, the economic power of the Kingdom’s women is a force not to be taken for granted, according to a report published in December last year by state oil firm Saudi Aramco. The report said car ownership among Saudi women climbed to 60 percent between 2003 and 2006, taking the total number of automobiles owned by Saudi women to 120,334.
Realizing a limitless profitability, a number of local companies have been waking up to the impact that catering to the Kingdom’s women could make on their businesses. “I feel lifting the ban on women’s driving will cause a boom effect on local automotive businesses,” said Sam Maatouk, sales manager at United Motors in Jeddah.
“It is only logical that the lifting of the driving ban would create a chance for the opening up of so many different markets,” he said, adding that women’s driving schools would begin to be established, fuel consumption would rise, and tires and spare parts manufacturers would also benefit. “I feel the government would also gain financially from a lift on the ban through the issuance of licenses and auto insurance contracts,” he said.
Maatouk, who previously worked in the UK, said most English women prefer small, four-cylinder vehicles, which are easier to drive and park, but added that he expects Saudi women to be more assertive. “Maybe you might see a woman wanting to buy a Dodge Charger because her husband, brother or father has one,” he said.
Anees Salamah, marketing manager of Balubaid Automotive Co. in Jeddah, agreed that the economic consequences of the lifting of the driving ban would be a windfall. “We heard the news about a petition going around and the possibility of the ban being lifted, and have been working on facilities especially designed for women,” said Salamah.
He also said that the company has been dealing with women for a while now and has some women customers who are already owners of two or three cars. “We are currently working on catering to businesswomen by developing special links with financial institutions for them and also a training program for female staff in order to advise new car owners on maintenance procedures, such as changing tires and getting the car regularly tuned up,” he said.
Salamah concluded that they have just completed a survey into identifying the specific needs of Saudi women customers and found that entertainment features were the biggest attraction for women when purchasing a new vehicle. “GPS navigation systems were the most sought after feature,” he explained.
Another primary factor that could drive the number of women car owners up is what he calls economic necessity. “It simply means that some people can’t afford to hire drivers anymore and lifting the driving ban would make life more affordable for women, who would prefer to purchase a car and chauffeur themselves,” he said, adding that with a large population of divorced women and those who have no male guardian more money would be forced into the local economy, money that he says could be put to good use for improving the social infrastructure by developing Saudi ladies’ branches of police departments, gas stations, spare parts shops, and new ladies-only car showrooms.
The only question still remaining is when will be the driving ban lifted. When the question was posed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, he was quoted in the local media as saying that the ban would be lifted “when the country is ready,” which when translated by automotive businesses and so many eager women means it’s only a matter of time.
-- Sarah Abdullah, Arab News
“Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways,” said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh.
“First, by putting a large portion of house drivers out of work and increasing the purchasing power of Saudi families; secondly by causing a shift in the ownership of vehicles; and thirdly by a trickle down of additional vehicles being sold to women translating into greater opportunities of opening up new markets.”
Accounting for 49 percent of the population, the economic power of the Kingdom’s women is a force not to be taken for granted, according to a report published in December last year by state oil firm Saudi Aramco. The report said car ownership among Saudi women climbed to 60 percent between 2003 and 2006, taking the total number of automobiles owned by Saudi women to 120,334.
Realizing a limitless profitability, a number of local companies have been waking up to the impact that catering to the Kingdom’s women could make on their businesses. “I feel lifting the ban on women’s driving will cause a boom effect on local automotive businesses,” said Sam Maatouk, sales manager at United Motors in Jeddah.
“It is only logical that the lifting of the driving ban would create a chance for the opening up of so many different markets,” he said, adding that women’s driving schools would begin to be established, fuel consumption would rise, and tires and spare parts manufacturers would also benefit. “I feel the government would also gain financially from a lift on the ban through the issuance of licenses and auto insurance contracts,” he said.
Maatouk, who previously worked in the UK, said most English women prefer small, four-cylinder vehicles, which are easier to drive and park, but added that he expects Saudi women to be more assertive. “Maybe you might see a woman wanting to buy a Dodge Charger because her husband, brother or father has one,” he said.
Anees Salamah, marketing manager of Balubaid Automotive Co. in Jeddah, agreed that the economic consequences of the lifting of the driving ban would be a windfall. “We heard the news about a petition going around and the possibility of the ban being lifted, and have been working on facilities especially designed for women,” said Salamah.
He also said that the company has been dealing with women for a while now and has some women customers who are already owners of two or three cars. “We are currently working on catering to businesswomen by developing special links with financial institutions for them and also a training program for female staff in order to advise new car owners on maintenance procedures, such as changing tires and getting the car regularly tuned up,” he said.
Salamah concluded that they have just completed a survey into identifying the specific needs of Saudi women customers and found that entertainment features were the biggest attraction for women when purchasing a new vehicle. “GPS navigation systems were the most sought after feature,” he explained.
Another primary factor that could drive the number of women car owners up is what he calls economic necessity. “It simply means that some people can’t afford to hire drivers anymore and lifting the driving ban would make life more affordable for women, who would prefer to purchase a car and chauffeur themselves,” he said, adding that with a large population of divorced women and those who have no male guardian more money would be forced into the local economy, money that he says could be put to good use for improving the social infrastructure by developing Saudi ladies’ branches of police departments, gas stations, spare parts shops, and new ladies-only car showrooms.
The only question still remaining is when will be the driving ban lifted. When the question was posed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, he was quoted in the local media as saying that the ban would be lifted “when the country is ready,” which when translated by automotive businesses and so many eager women means it’s only a matter of time.
-- Sarah Abdullah, Arab News
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Saudi Arabia: Government needs to tackle unemployment among youth
Recently published statistics point to the rising problem of unemployment in Saudi Arabia. According to the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the jobless rate among Saudis stood at 11.2 per cent in the first half of 2007.
The figure compares unfavourably with a reported unemployment rate of 11 per cent in the first half of 2006.
The number of Saudis without jobs stood at 453,994 in the first half of 2007, up by some 8,796 compared to the corresponding period in 2006.
In fact, the opposite should have been true in the light of improved economic conditions, thanks to rocketing oil prices. The petroleum sector accounts for more than three quarters of the budgetary revenue, and thus plays a primary role in the country's economic activities. Saudi Arabia's real (adjusted for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.5 per cent in 2007. The kingdom saw an inflation rate of 6.5 per cent last year.
Statistics released by the ministry suggest worsening employment prospects for women. The jobless rate among women has increased from 24.7 per cent in the first half of 2006 to 26.6 per cent in the same period in 2007. Conversely, the unemployment rate among males continued to hover around eight per cent during the same period.
Still, men and women between the ages of 20 and 24 account for 44 per cent of jobless nationals.
Undoubtedly, the Saudi economy loses the contribution of an active age group. Needless to say, unemployment among the youth poses a threat to public order. Terror organisations look for recruits among youths suffering from social problems and neglect.
The latest jobless figures make the prospects of achieving manpower goals of the 8th Development Plan only more difficult. The plan envisages some 139,000 job seekers by 2009 versus 268,000 Saudis looking for employment opportunities in 2004. In fact, the plan expects the Saudi unemployment rate to drop from seven per cent in 2004 to merely 2.8 per cent by 2009.
Likewise, it would be extraordinarily difficult to achieve the Eighth Development Plan forecasts with regards to contribution of females in the workforce. The plan envisages females representing 17.9 per cent of Saudi national workforce by 2009 versus 12.2 per cent in 2004.
At stake is not creating enough employment opportunities per se, but rather the right jobs for Saudi nationals. Saudis do not just desire any kind of jobs. They do not want low-paying menial jobs.
One plan for tackling unemployment proposes restricting certain jobs for nationals. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs restricts some 40 kinds of jobs to locals. These include taxi drivers, training and purchasing managers, public relations officers, administrative assistants, secretaries, operators, debt collectors, customer service accountants, tellers, postmen, data handlers, librarians, booksellers, ticket kiosk keepers, auto salesmen, janitors, internal mail handlers and tour guides. Officials say that Saudi nationals prefer such professions.
Undoubtedly, the government cannot overlook the employment problem. For one, it is believed that extremist groups often find recruits among the jobless. Also, some 38 per cent of Saudis are below the age of 14 and hence expected to enter the job market soon. The authorities have an opportunity to make maximum benefits of outstanding economic conditions to address the problem. Suffice to say, the budget recorded surplus of $47 billion in fiscal year 2007.
- Written byDr. Jasim Ali, a member of parliament, Bahrain, for Gulf News
The figure compares unfavourably with a reported unemployment rate of 11 per cent in the first half of 2006.
The number of Saudis without jobs stood at 453,994 in the first half of 2007, up by some 8,796 compared to the corresponding period in 2006.
In fact, the opposite should have been true in the light of improved economic conditions, thanks to rocketing oil prices. The petroleum sector accounts for more than three quarters of the budgetary revenue, and thus plays a primary role in the country's economic activities. Saudi Arabia's real (adjusted for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.5 per cent in 2007. The kingdom saw an inflation rate of 6.5 per cent last year.
Statistics released by the ministry suggest worsening employment prospects for women. The jobless rate among women has increased from 24.7 per cent in the first half of 2006 to 26.6 per cent in the same period in 2007. Conversely, the unemployment rate among males continued to hover around eight per cent during the same period.
Still, men and women between the ages of 20 and 24 account for 44 per cent of jobless nationals.
Undoubtedly, the Saudi economy loses the contribution of an active age group. Needless to say, unemployment among the youth poses a threat to public order. Terror organisations look for recruits among youths suffering from social problems and neglect.
The latest jobless figures make the prospects of achieving manpower goals of the 8th Development Plan only more difficult. The plan envisages some 139,000 job seekers by 2009 versus 268,000 Saudis looking for employment opportunities in 2004. In fact, the plan expects the Saudi unemployment rate to drop from seven per cent in 2004 to merely 2.8 per cent by 2009.
Likewise, it would be extraordinarily difficult to achieve the Eighth Development Plan forecasts with regards to contribution of females in the workforce. The plan envisages females representing 17.9 per cent of Saudi national workforce by 2009 versus 12.2 per cent in 2004.
At stake is not creating enough employment opportunities per se, but rather the right jobs for Saudi nationals. Saudis do not just desire any kind of jobs. They do not want low-paying menial jobs.
One plan for tackling unemployment proposes restricting certain jobs for nationals. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs restricts some 40 kinds of jobs to locals. These include taxi drivers, training and purchasing managers, public relations officers, administrative assistants, secretaries, operators, debt collectors, customer service accountants, tellers, postmen, data handlers, librarians, booksellers, ticket kiosk keepers, auto salesmen, janitors, internal mail handlers and tour guides. Officials say that Saudi nationals prefer such professions.
Undoubtedly, the government cannot overlook the employment problem. For one, it is believed that extremist groups often find recruits among the jobless. Also, some 38 per cent of Saudis are below the age of 14 and hence expected to enter the job market soon. The authorities have an opportunity to make maximum benefits of outstanding economic conditions to address the problem. Suffice to say, the budget recorded surplus of $47 billion in fiscal year 2007.
- Written byDr. Jasim Ali, a member of parliament, Bahrain, for Gulf News
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