http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=82914&d=29&m=5&y=2006
Monday, 29, May, 2006 (02, Jumada al-Ula, 1427)
An Opportunity to Empower Women or an Obligation?
Samar Fatany, Arab News
At a time when there is encouragement to discuss a changing role for women in Saudi society, the nation's media is in a unique position to advance those discussions by serving to illuminate our people on the challenges we face in keeping pace with the rest of the world. Some editors and broadcasters may view it as an opportunity, but perhaps it should be viewed as an obligation if we truly want to move the Kingdom forward.
Many challenges stand in the way of the empowerment of women in Saudi Arabia, and our media ought to adopt a strategy to raise the level of awareness and develop the potential of women so that they can better serve their country.
Already there are many women playing important roles in Saudi media, but all Saudi journalists - men and women - need to address these many challenges confronting women. Anyone with a realistic grasp of economics knows that we truly do not have the luxury of time if we want to see a bright and prosperous future for our children; therefore, the challenges facing women today need the media's immediate attention.
What follow are my recommendations to break the logjam of misconceptions and cultural bugaboos that may constitute a greater and more imminent threat to our nation's well-being than any real or imagined foreign enemy.
We need to stress the important role of women in the development and progress of this country and project the national responsibility of allowing women to work in all appropriate economic sectors.
We need to educate men - husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles and others - on the role of working women and the significant contributions of which they are capable because of their education so that all understand the role these Saudi women - wives, mothers, sisters, aunts and others - can play in bringing up a new generation capable of facing modern challenges through rational examination and of improving our standard of living.
We need to educate both men and women about women's legal rights and increase their awareness about the services of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, such as the Ministry of Social Affairs and the National Society for Human Rights, both of which offer protection for the victims of domestic violence and abuse.
Of great importance is the need to expose imposed non-religious values, trends and traditions that perpetuate family violence and deny women the rights Islam guarantees them. It is shameful that family violence is not considered a crime in our country as long as it does not lead to murder.
Media also must encourage respect for dialogue and views of others: Despite the formation of the National Dialogue Center and the encouragement it received from top officials, our society is quick to dismiss opposing views, especially when there are those among us resistant to any change who will block new ideas and branding those who present them as secularists. In such circumstances, the media and the Internet can become weapons of defamation, preserving a status quo unwilling to admit that the ways of the past do not lead us to a future for which our children will thank us.
The media should emphasize that women are capable of determining their future and that they should share in the decision-making process. We see the negative effects of men being the sole decision-makers on matters related to women. Women account for half of our population, and their ideas and suggestions should command the respect of all, just as men's.
The media needs to expose the outrages perpetuated against women and their children, and the media should serve as a platform calling for new laws to protect women and appropriate mechanisms that support divorced or abandoned mothers and their children. As long these issues are not addressed, the conditions for these struggling families will deteriorate, and some men will treat social and legal inaction as a license for irresponsibility without any fear of reprisal.
Much research is conducted about the Kingdom and its people, by sociological, economic and Islamic experts, and the media should feature these scientific and theological insights, which can provide people with the necessary information to enable them to frame their own, reasoned opinions about the challenges we face.
The media can also give the public the benefits received through examining the experiences of other nations and their leaders in dealing with many of the same challenges that our nation faces. The Jeddah Economic Forum has set an example in this respect by inviting world famous women leaders, such as Irish President Mary McAleese, Queen Rania of Jordan, Dr. Thuraya Obaid of the United Nations and others to its annual forums.
We are now living in a world without borders - a global village. To coexist peacefully nations must work with other parties to identify their roles in this international community.
With a burgeoning, young population, our nation must identify its role in this international community if it is to create a future of economic growth and development with a rising standard of living rather than a declining one. In every country in today's world that is finding success, women are playing an important role.
That is not a matter of conjecture; it is a matter of fact, and the fact is that we need to overcome these obstacles now.
I would hope that simply because we are Muslims we would see the need to empower women in the name of Islamic justice, but even if our thoughts were only to revolve around money and investments we would come to the same conclusion that women need to be empowered if we wish to flourish in this world.
As to whether it is an obligation or simply an opportunity for Saudi media to help move the empowerment of women forward may be a matter for discussion. In my view, however, the leaders of our Kingdom in their wisdom have initiated a national dialogue and also encouraged the media to play a role in that effort, which creates a responsibility - both for the people and the media - to help create a shared, national vision for the future.
It's a responsibility that should not be taken lightly, and it is a responsibility that cannot be ignored.
- Samar Fatany is a radio journalist. She is based in Jeddah
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