Saudi Women Professionals Act as Role Models for Future Generations

According to the latest report by UNESCO, the percentage of women graduating from university in Saudi Arabia is higher than in countries in the West. In the field of science, 40 percent of Saudi doctors are women and there is an increasing number of successful women who have acquired global recognition as scientists and researchers and have inspired many Saudi women at home. 

Dr. Khawla Al-Kurai, consultant and principle clinical scientist and cancer researcher at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), is a distinguished doctor who has made contributions in the field of medical research. She is on the board of editors of BMC Genomic, a well-known journal in genetics. Dr. Al-Kurai is in charge of a project attempting to

Dr. Al-Kurai Receiving the King Abdulaziz Award of Excellence 

identify the genomic drivers in thyroid cancer, which will improve the clinical management of the disease. The international cancer genome consortium ICGC has announced that the new project is ahead of schedule in generating genomic data on more than 25,000 tumors for up to 50 types of cancer that are of clinical and societal importance across the globe. Dr. Al-Kurai has participated in many national and international conferences and has been instrumental in highlighting the new image of Saudi women doctors and scientists in her country and abroad. She has also received a national award from King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for her academic achievements and scientific contributions. 

Professor Samira Islam , the head of the Drug Monitoring Unit at King Fahd Research Center has made significant contributions in drug safety by defining the Saudi profile for drug metabolism. She has

Prof. Samira Islam with German Chancellor Angela Merkel

held several academic leadership posts in Saudi Arabia as well as international diplomatic posts in the World Health Organization. She has also made significant contributions to the education of women in the Kingdom. UNESCO named Dr. Islam the most distinguished Arab Muslim scientist of the world in the year 2000. She has held academic leadership positions in Saudi Arabia and abroad. Dr. Islam has worked hard to develop the academic infrastructure to support women studying science in the Kingdom’s higher educational system.

Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, obstetrician, gynecologist and assistant professor at King Abdul Aziz University, is a breast cancer advocate and breast cancer survivor. She has received several awards for her courage

Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi with Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush

and hard work for the betterment of society. The Arabian Business Magazine placed her among the top 100 people who had a significant impact on their societies and she was also listed as one of the most important Arab scientists. Dr. Al-Amoudi is well-known for her brave campaign to raise awareness about the prevalence of breast cancer in Saudi Arabia and for her bold initiative to speak about her own experience as a breast cancer survivor in order show support for other women who suffer in silence. Dr. Al-Amoudi recently established the Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi Scientific Chair for Women’s Health Empowerment at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah to empower women and raise awareness about health rights and health issues in general. 

Dr. Maha Al-Muneef, Executive Director of the National Family Safety Program and councilor of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, is a child protectionist and child rights advocate. She is also a consultant on pediatric infectious diseases and has been involved in the national implementation of child protection services.

She is chairwoman of the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Center at King Abdul Aziz Medical City, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and president-elect of the Arab Professional Network

for the Prevention of Violence Against Children. She is also a consultant in the Shoura Council.

Dr. Al-Muneef has dedicated her career to the prevention of child abuse and to raising public awareness about the need to address this social problem and to train doctors to recognize the victims of abuse. She has also called for legal action against child molesters.

Dr. Al-Muneef started the national safety program in 1999 with her colleagues to address the abuse of women and children by husbands and fathers and was supported by the patronage of Princess Adila the daughter of King Abdullah. Dr. Al-Muneef has worked hard to educate women about their legal rights and she has offered legal and social assistance to victims unable to escape from abusive homes. She has also been instrumental in establishing centers to protect victims of abuse. She has campaigned in many parts of the Kingdom to raise awareness and has succeeded in organizing three significant symposiums in Jeddah, Madinah and Abha that were instrumental in enacting the country’s first laws criminalizing violence against women and children.

In order to address the biased attitude which is sometimes found within the judiciary, Dr. Al-Muneef has engaged judges, lawyers, police officers and activists to protect the rights of women and children and expose the unjust and un-Islamic criminal acts of abusive husbands and fathers. 

These Saudi women who have reached leadership positions and many others are role models for future generations. The success of these distinguished women has undoubtedly boosted the morale of those members of society who were once abused and marginalized. Women doctors, scientists and researchers are expected to contribute toward a socially, politically and economically progressive Saudi Arabia. 

Originally published on Saudi Gazette by Samar Fatany.

Saudi Arabia’s First Female Pilot Soars High

In November 2004, Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal made history by hired the first-ever woman pilot in the history of Saudi Arabia.

Captain Hanadi Zakariya Al-Hindi flies the private fleet of the billionaire investor. Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi is the first Saudi woman to become a commercial airline pilot. She was born in Mecca in September 1978.

Commenting on the recruitment of Hindi as a pilot by his company, Prince Alwaleed said: “I see the hiring of this female pilot to work on Kingdom Holding’s fleet of private jets as a historic move for Saudi ladies. The move transcends the traditional role of Saudi women previously confined to working in the health, education and philanthropic sectors. I am in full support of Saudi ladies working in all fields.”

Alwaleed added: “The hiring of a female Saudi pilot is the first of its kind.”

In a 2004 telephone interview from Makkah after the formal announcement of Prince Alwaleed to hire her, Capt. Hanadi told Arab News: “Women are very capable of taking on any job previously monopolised by men.”

Her statement is substantiated by the fact that she went on to take a Commercial Pilot’s License and an Instrument Rating (CPL and IR) from the same school — the Mideast Aviation Academy in Jordan. She said: “I will receive the commercial license within a few months from now.”

She passed her final exams at the Middle East Academy for Commercial Aviation in Amman, Jordan on June 15, 2005.

She has a ten-year contract with Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Company as a private pilot of his private jet, the Kingdom.

Originally published on Emirates 247

Saudi Woman Makes History by Reaching Everest Summit

Raha Moharrak, 25, not only became the first Saudi woman to attempt the climb but also the youngest Arab to make it to the top of Everest.

"I really don't care about being the first," she is quoted as saying. "So long as it inspires someone else to be second."

Source: Arabs On Top of the World 

She is part of a four-person expedition that also includes the first Qatari man and the first Palestinian man attempting to reach the summit.

They are trying to raise $1m (£660,000) for education projects in Nepal.

Originally from Jeddah, Ms Moharrak is a university graduate currently based in Dubai.

Coming from Saudi Arabia - a conservative Muslim country where women's rights are very restricted - she had to break a lot of barriers to achieve her goal, her climb team said.

A biography on the expedition website said convincing Ms Moharrak's family to agree to her climb "was as great a challenge as the mountain itself", though they fully support her now.

For more info on Raha's climb check out the Arabs on Top of the World Facebook page or their website Arabsontopoftheworld.com.

Originally published on BCC

Top 10 Career Lessons from Powerful Women

From interviews with the past, present, and potential members of the Forbes list of the world's most powerful women, these are the 10 top tips for a successful career.  

1) Wake Up Early : Starbucks' President Michelle Gass wakes up at 4:30 every morning to go running. Avon chairman   Andrea Jung wakes up at 5. Longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour is on the tennis court by 6 every morning before work. These women have realized that success comes easier when you have a jump on the day.

2) Negotiate Early and Often: Research shows that women don't negotiate as often or as successfully as men, which may contribute to the lingering gender wage gap. In most developed countries, women still earn 80 to 85 cents for every dollar earned by men. The gap widens with age. A 20-something woman makes 90% of what a 20-something man makes. Thirty years later, she makes 75% as much as him.

3) Delegate: Katie Taylor, the CEO of hotel brand Four Seasons, recently admitted that she is a bit of a "control freak," but for the good of her and everyone around her, she tries to delegate. If you think of your career as a juggling act of various balls, ask yourself which of those balls are made of glass and would shatter if dropped, and which are made of rubber and would bounce back. Give away the rubber balls.

4) Adopt Mentors and Leverage Them: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg says one thing you don't want to do is ask someone, "Will you be my mentor?" It's unnatural. Instead, you have to adopt them. After meeting, follow up with an email. Send an interesting article or connect them with someone who might be helpful. Then maintain the relationship over time. And when an opportunity arises where they can really help you, ask: Will you recommend me for this job? Would you make the introduction?

5) Stay Ever-Curious: Today, the lightning pace of change means you have to be ever-curious, always ready to learn and adapt to the new environment around you. Anne Sweeney, the co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney-ABC Television Group, describes herself as "driven by curiosity" because "it gets people excited" and "leads to new ideas, new jobs, new industries." She says, "The smartest thing you can ever do is to constantly ask questions."

6) Listen: Hire people who are smarter than you, give them the tools to do their jobs and then listen carefully. If you're able to be open to all different kinds of information, your conclusions will be that much better formed. Claire Watts, the U.S. CEO of retail and media company QVC, actually schedules open door times every Tuesday, so that anyone in the company who wants to come talk to her, ask her a question or share something they've noticed can do it then. 

7) Set Career Goals: Denise Morrison, the CEO of Campbell's Soup, knew from a very young age she wanted to eventually run a company. She learned that just like you need to set goals to accomplish a business project, you need to set goals in your life, both short-term and long-term, and come up with a plan to achieve them. She always looked at her career as, "Where have I been? Where am I now? Where am I going, and what are the right assignments to get there?" If her current company would work with her to deliver those assignments, she was all-in. But if it didn't, she knew she needed to move on.

8) Be Courageous: First you have to pinpoint what you want, and then you have to stand up and go after it. That takes courage. Beth Mooney, the CEO of KeyCorp, got her start in banking two years after she graduated from college by knocking on the door of every big bank in Dallas, Texas, and asking for a spot in their management training programs. At the Republic Bank of Dallas, she refused to leave the manager's office until he offered her a job. So she waited. For three hours. And finally he said okay, he'd give her a chance if she earned an MBA by night. Raise your hand for the big opportunities. 

9) Get Comfortable With The World "No": Cozy up to the word "no." Sometimes you'll hear it. Sometimes you'll need to say it. Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Programme, says it's one of the most difficult phrases for women to utter. Practice. It will get easier.

10) Be Persistant: As the story goes, Thomas Edison failed thousands of times while inventing the light bulb. "I have found 10,000 ways something won't work," he said. But he wasn't discouraged, "because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." Most women reach the top after three decades plugging away. Success takes persistence, stamina and patience. 

Originally published on Forbes.com. Click here for original article. 

Women and Economic Decision-Making - Davos 2013

Some of the most influential women in world discussed how to close gender-gaps at the highest levels of economic decision-making at the 2013 World Economic Forum.

The panelists include:

• Lubna Alolayan, Deputy Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Olayan Financing Company
• Drew Gilpin Faust, President, Harvard University
• Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF); World Economic Forum Foundation Board Member
• Viviane Reding, Vice-President and Commissioner, Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, European Commission
• Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board, Facebook; Young Global Leader Alumnus
• Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Heidrick & Struggles

Key points for Saudi women: 

• It makes economic sense to improve the situation of women in regards to health, education, and employment. 
• Why applying a quota for employing women is sometimes necessary. 
• The importance of female role-models and examples of female leadership.
• The role of major Arab companies in aiding women to develop their professional skills. They need to hire, promote, and mentor women until they have the right qualifications. 
• There needs to be a focus from the CEO's, boards, and chairmans of companies to put pressure on the middle-mamangement and be responisble for ensuring that women are being hired and promoted.  
• Women should not be distracted by things that will take away from what they are trying to accomplish. 

How HRH Princess Banderi Pushed for Anti-Domestic Violence Advertisement

When Ogilvy approached the King Khalid Foundation, a charity that focuses on issues of advocacy and developing the country's non-profit sector, they weren't sure what type of reaction to expect.

"I think that there was always a real concern that, given the subject matter, it would never get through," says Abbott.

A major push came from Saudi princess HRH Banderi A.R. Al Faisal, the foundation's director. Though the campaign has captured the public's attention,both within Saudi and abroad, where an English version has made the rounds online, Al Faisal says she doesn't see the ad as shocking.

"My media and PR team were a bit nervous going into this, saying, 'Are you sure you want to do this?'" she admits. "I didn't understand why. I don't understand what is so controversial. Who will say, 'Yes, it's ok for women to be beaten up'?"

Saudi women are legally reliant on the permission of their male guardians to travel freely, driving is still a socially contentious issue and there are no laws that protect victims of domestic abuse. According to Al Faisal, however, change is in the air.

"For several years, domestic abuse was sort of the elephant in the room. There was nowhere for a woman to go if she was abused because a system wasn't set up to handle that," she admits. Though the issue is still not completely out in the open, she notes the last few years has seen a rise in shelters that cater to female victims of violence.

Published on CNN.com by Daisy Carrington. Click here for full article

Increasing Unemployment Rate for Saudi Women

The Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) of Saudi Arabia has just published quarterly unemployment indicators for 2012. There is some good news as well as bad in the new figures.The indicators trace movement of unemployment rates during 2012, quarter by quarter.

It is especially surprising that unemployment rates changed during 2012 in markedly different directions between the four groups (Saudi men and women; non-Saudi men and women). While unemployment rates for Saudi men moved slightly downwards between the first and fourth quarters, they declined dramatically for non-Saudi men and non-Saudi women. However, for Saudi women, unemployment rates continued their upward climb from previous years.

Source: Arabianbusiness.com

For Saudi men, unemployment declined from (6.9) percent in the first quarter of 2012 to (6) percent in the fourth quarter, or a (13) percent decline, thus reversing a decade-long trend of rising unemployment among Saudi males.

The only losers among the four groups were Saudi women. Their unemployment rate was already extremely high in the first quarter (34 percent), but it went up to nearly (36) percent in the fourth quarter, increasing by nearly five percent in that interval. Unemployment among Saudi women has been on the rise for some time. In 1999, their rate of unemployment stood at (16) percent. It has since steadily climbed to reach (36) percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.

In other countries, such high rates of unemployment are associated with economic decline or deep recessions, but as the economy grows unemployment rates usually decline for all social groups, regardless of gender or national origin, even when there are differentials in their unemployment rates. However, that is not the case in Saudi Arabia, where the economy has been booming and new jobs are created daily, but unemployment rates keep rising as well. In 1999, when unemployment for Saudi women was at (16) percent, gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at only (143) billion dollars. However, by 2012, GDP had risen by (410) percent, to (727) billion dollars. Yet, despite this five-fold increase in GDP over that period, unemployment for women more than doubled, reaching (36) percent in 2012.

CDSI figures reveal that the total number of Saudi women working outside the house increased during 2012, but only slightly. In 2011, there were (604) thousand women employed, increasing during 2012 by (43) thousand to reach (647) thousand in the last quarter of 2012. The number of employed Saudi women has risen by (300) thousand since 1999, when the number of employed women was only (347) thousand. However, the number of Saudi women employed now (647,000) represents only ten percent of Saudi women in working age.

This low rate of employment for Saudi women is quite low by international standards, where the rate of employment for women reaches an average of (57) percent in industrialized countries.

Published on Arabnews.com by Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg. Click here for full article