SEVERAL years ago, the government had embarked on a major reform through the creation of separate sections for women at the ministries and other government organizations. This was aimed at serving two major goals. One is facilitating government procedures for women and enabling them to serve their interests by themselves through directly approaching women staffers at these sections. The second goal was to address the unemployment problem among women while considering the fact a large number of women with even master's and doctorate degrees remained jobless. These highly qualified women were supposed to take over key government positions. They have spent a major part of their life in studies and researches with the hope of getting an opportunity to serve their nation apart from making a livelihood. I would like to draw attention to a report carried by the newspapers a few days ago. The report was about a woman from the United Arab Emirates making history in the Arab world. Amal Al-Qubaisi has become the first woman in the Arab world to be elected as president of the UAE Federal National Council. Of course, there have been tremendous changes in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the Arab world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular with regard to women empowerment. The appointment of 30 women in the Kingdom's Shoura Council is an example for this. Women also hold several key positions in universities and other organizations in the Kingdom. Though the state endorsed creation of women's sections in all government departments, most of the departments have yet to employ women. They have not taken any steps to start separate sections for women. Most of the jobs reserved for women at the ministries and other government organizations remain unoccupied. The reason for this state of affairs is still unknown. The concerned monitoring agencies have not taken this seriously. Despite the compelling need for women to be appointed at the ministries and other government organizations for the aforesaid two reasons, these departments are full of male employees who do not have jobs to do, which in other words is disguised unemployment. Most of these employees are absent from work for days and weeks. They are negligent of performing the duties assigned to them. I am fully confident that the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman would examine this matter and take prompt action to address this problem. There should be prompt action to create sections for women and appoint qualified women in those ministries and government organizations. More and more posts shall be created for efficient and qualified women. In the nation building process, women shall be given due prominence so as to enable them to play a vital role. Had the women not given an opportunity to take part in the development of the country and progress of society, such a society would have the growth and development at a snail's pace and would witness regress in all walks of life.
