Saudi women have, in recent years, come to hold top leadership positions inside and outside the country and won the right to vote and run in municipal council elections. They have also played a major role in making important decisions in several sectors within ministries, universities and other government institutions. Due to these changes, members of society have changed the way they view women after seeing the role played by women in keeping the wheel of development in the country spinning. As a result, many people have called for giving women more top leadership positions so they can play a greater role in the development of the country, Al-Riyadh daily reports on the changing role of Saudi women in the Kingdom. Samar Al-Saggaf, director of medical programs and cultural attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said in order for women to be innovative and create a trail for others to follow, they should prioritize their tasks. “Women should put their studies and family first and work later. When their children become self-dependent, work should be the priority. A successful woman is one who makes success a habit, not a hobby,” Al-Saqaf said. She emphasized the role husbands, sons, brothers and fathers can play, as moral support from the family is essential for any woman to succeed. Personal traits Hana Al-Zuhair, deputy secretary-general of Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Women's Development Fund, said a female leader should have a strong personality and identify her weaknesses and strengths. “Women have a knack for managing their time effectively. They are natural multi-taskers,” Al-Zuhair said. She agreed that a successful woman is usually supported by her family. Her success would not have been accomplished had it not been for her family's support. She stressed the importance of having a dogged determination, persistence and perseverance to succeed. As a woman, she believes that men can sometimes feel jealous of their wives' success and such jealousy can affect women negatively and prevent them from forging ahead in their careers. “Nevertheless, most women, especially those who have leadership skills, pull through difficult times and emerge triumphant.” Al-Zuhair criticized men who are jealous of their successful wives, saying it is shame on men to think that just because their wives hold leadership positions, they will try to control them. “This is an unacceptable exaggeration on men's part. I urge women holding such positions to find a way to strike a balance between furthering their careers and taking care of their husbands and children,” she added.
Reactions Mishal Al-Ghamdi, a government official, urged men to support and encourage their wives in their careers. Al-Ghamdi is married to a businesswoman who has excelled at her career but at the same time has not forgotten her responsibilities toward her family. Yasser Al-Amoudi, another employee, disagreed with Al-Ghamdi and said he does not want to get married to a woman who holds a leading position in the public or private sector because he does not want to come home after a long day of work to listen to his wife complain about the problems she faced at her workplace. “I'm against giving leading positions to women because I don't think women are cut out for such positions. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying women cannot be leaders, I just think most of them don't have it in them to be leaders,” Al-Amoudi said.
Mutual respect Kawthar Al-Bugami, another employee, said her husband has been her No. 1 fan and supporter and even helped her achieve success at her job. He also helps her take care of their children at home and urged her to complete her master's degree. “Why would a husband be jealous of his wife's success when her success means his success? They're one and on the same boat. The most important thing for a working wife is to strike a balance between work and family,” she said.
