Afghan woman pushes for rights from behind the wheel

The morning after the Taliban fell Shakila Naderi shed her head-to-toe burqa, sat behind the wheel of a car for the first time and asked her husband to teach her how to drive.

Now Kabul's only female driving instructor, she teaches women a rare skill that confronts harsh opposition in ultra-conservative, Muslim Afghanistan.

"It bothers men when women drive," Naderi, 45, said from behind her desk in her four-room driving school near Kabul's city centre, decorated with traffic signs and instructions in her native Dari.

"But I wasn't scared of them then and I am not scared of them now," she said, adjusting her green headscarf.

Naderi opened the school four years ago with her husband Iqbal Khan, who as a taxi driver took pity on women he saw struggling to find transportation in a country where many will not speak to men other than relatives.

Women have regained rights such as education, voting and work since the removal of the Taliban and their austere rule a decade ago, but they enjoy far less freedom than men.

Women complain of unwanted gazes and physical harassment on the cramped, crowded minibuses that are often the only method of urban public transport.

When Naderi Driving School opened, Naderi received verbal threats from the more conservative sectors of society, who decry driving as un-Islamic for women. Those have died down, she says, but male drivers often taunt her and try to chase her car off the road, sometimes causing her to swerve dangerously.

Families also bar daughters from driving, fearing it could lead them astray. Naderi's own two daughters have been prohibited by their husbands' families from learning to drive.

TAKING CONTROL OF ONE'S LIFE

A white headscarf wrapped around her wrinkled face, student Khanum Gul Obedi, 46, says she wants to take control of her life.

The mother of two teen daughters has a disabled husband and cannot afford to take taxis with fares of 300 Afghani per ride. She walks for hours around Kabul every day dropping her kids off at school and buying food.

"I never opened a book in my life besides the holy Koran, I never entered through the doors of a school," said Obedi, who is illiterate like most Afghan women.

"I got married and felt imprisoned, but now I can control things and I feel like I've been set free."

The school once mustered only one to five students for a 36-day course, a precursor to applying for a licence.

Classes now number up to 80, and some students travel from nearby provinces. In a room filled with car parts and smeared with grease, Naderi also teaches women how to deal with breakdowns.

Naderi and her husband must read out driving manuals to students in a country where more than 80 percent of women cannot read or write, an illiteracy rate double that of men.

Their work has paid off.

Kabul issued a record 312 driving licences to women last year, the traffic department said. Herat in the west and Mazar-e-Sharif in the north gave out 64 and 48 respectively to women taught mainly by other women but also by some men.

The government backs Naderi's school and has encouraged female employees to attend. But the couple's ads on billboards are often defaced or torn down.

"Boys tease me because I want to drive," said college graduate Mersal Nawabi, 21. "But I am encouraged by my brothers and father."

Student Obedi says she would never take driving lessons from a man. "This is Afghanistan. People talk and by having a woman instructor gossip is kept to a minimum".

As Naderi leaves her school and walks towards her car, a group of men nearby scream: "Hey you! We can drive too".

"I react to them as men would," she says with a grimace.

"Once I got out of my car, yelled back and slapped one so hard he bled. Then I got back into the car to teach the girls".

Libyan women hope for gains in elections

Tripoli, Libya - Buoyed by the winds of change sweeping the region, Libyan women are eyeing a far greater role for themselves after next month's national assembly elections.

The June 19 poll - the first since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi - will see the country electing 200 candidates to the body that will draft the country's constitution.

Recent polls in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia have had mixed results for women, and the lessons are not lost on their Libyan counterparts.

In Egypt, parliamentary elections saw less than two per cent of the seats go to women - eight seats, compared to the 64 guaranteed to them by law. It was somewhat better in Tunisia, with 49 women getting elected.

Halloum al-Fallah, an independent candidate hopeful from the eastern city of Benghazi, said Libyan women are taking lessons from the Arab Spring in terms of how to fight for their place in politics.

"We are learning from the mistakes in Egypt and Tunisia, but also learning from what other countries are doing well," said Fallah.

'New journey'

New election rules for the 200 seats up for grabs have reserved 80 seats for parties and 120 for independents.

The candidate list submitted by political parties must contain an equal number of men and women - 40 seats for each - meaning that women could make up at least 20 per cent of the assembly.

There are no limits as to how many women can run as independents, so what will come of the 120 seats is also uncertain.

"The problem right now is that there is no flow of information, not even about how many women have applied to be candidates. We don't have a system of information sharing, or who is doing what, where they are. All we know is that there are positive indications that there are many female candidates," said Farida Allaghi, a rights activist who is coaching potential female candidates on how to debate and present their campaign platforms.

"Even if women don't win, it's the beginning of a new journey for women's political participation."
Party politics

Given that political parties need women on their ballots in order to be eligible for the elections, there is a possibility that parties might approach women who will simply follow the fold rather than push to elevate the status of women in Libya.

"Some political parties will put women on the ballot to get more votes or to be accepted. If I'm elected, I will have to do my bit to motivate them to contribute and to be ambitious," said Salma Ahmed Abu-Zadah, a legal consultant to the military council and potential candidate for Free Democratic Bloc Party, adding that as long as there are women in the assembly, they will work to ensure women's rights are included in the constitution.

"Women's role now is different than it was before, when [Gaddafi] used women to fill seats, to use them for his image... contributing to his regime."

Women rush to question election official Abdulla Fortia after he speaks about the rules for the  polls

The general vibe among women, many of whom found a new place in the community in the course of the revolution, is one of optimism.

Ayshe Rouemi, who hopes to be a candidate for the United for the Nation party, said that since the revolution, "when the chains and shackles were broken", Libyan women have been confident that they will be included in the country's power structure.

"Political parties are looking for women now and women can refuse their offers if we are not happy with their place - we can insist that they be put on the top of the ballot," said Rouemi.

"Just the idea [of] them looking for women for fear of being rejected without us is a good sign."
The changed circumstances have thrown open new opportunities for many.

Nourah Ali Salem El-Hebashi, from Tarhouna - 100km south of Tripoli - applied to run as an independent candidate.

"I am the only person to be nominated to be a candidate from my community - they encouraged me to run," said Hebashi.

Lingering doubts

There are concerns, however, that a single party, possibly the Muslim Brotherhood, will execute a power-grab as in Egypt, sidelining women.

"In Libya, the only way you're going to get rights is through religion," said Alaa Murabit, the founder of the Voice of Libyan Women, a women's empowerment and development NGO in Libya.

Murabit's is one of the groups helping women realise their political aspirations by organising events that include workshops with female politicians from other countries as speakers.

One of the Libyan women on the list of speakers of the group's event earlier this week was Majda Fallah, a member of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood's shura council and head of the department of combating diabetes and obesity at the national centre for disease control.

"We want women to participate, and for her participation in a political party to be a real one and a true one, and not to just as a picture, so to speak, or someone who has no effective role," said Fallah.

"The right understanding of Islam was absent for a while and we want to revive the right understanding of Islam - that women have the right to participate in aspects of life."

Murabit said Fallah's message was very important as it countered the idea that Muslim women getting involved in politics risked "all hellfire".

Challenges

Fouad Hamdan, who is coaching some of the women who have applied for candidacy on how to effectively campaign, said he believes the women have what it takes to win.

"All of these women up there, they can do… and just for your information all of them [the potential ones attending his workshop] have been asked by men to become candidates… because Libyan men are not so retarded as many think they are. On the contrary, they are much more relaxed and open about women taking such a position in society."

He said that there are exceptions, and that women will no doubt face some challenges in Libya, which is "a conservative society after all".

"Let me start with the challenges all of them will have, men and women, because that's the main problem. None of them in this country has political experience, experience in speaking to the media, experience in debating, discussing and listening without freaking out and becoming emotional," said Hamdan.

"It is basically starting from zero… it's learning by suffering, but you know, I envy them. It's so beautiful. It's so pure."

Empowering women: Kingdom leads the way

Women teachers retire early to escape pressures of change

10 Saudi women take fight against breast cancer to Mount Eve...

Al-Aama: I expect more women leaders and decision-makers to ...

Women teachers retire early to escape pressures of change

An increasing number of women teachers have applied for early retirement. Some have applied between five up to 10 years before reaching the regular age of retirement. According to a Girls Education Administration’s 2011 report, 96 percent of women teachers want to retire early.

Elham Abdullah, 54, a teacher who applied for early retirement six years before she was eligible for a regular retirement pension, said the reason was mainly work pressures and the change of curriculum. 


“I don’t think a teacher at my age that has been teaching the same subjects and curriculum for long years has the capacity to comprehend the changes that are happening now and succeed in conveying the curriculum content the way she used to. To do this successfully takes effort and research and there are no incentives that encourage an old teacher to overcome difficulties and exert more effort,” she said.

Teacher Fatima Al-Mirghalani, 46, retired early because she “could not cope with the developments in education, especially the changed curriculums.” She said she wanted to be free to start a business. 

“When I applied for early retirement I knew I would be done with the long working hours and exhaustion that I suffered when I was a teacher. I think any teacher that has the courage and some financial capacity to start a business would not hesitate to make the decision to retire. But they should compensate the portion of their pension that they lost by retiring before their regular time.”

Sadiya Al-Muwallad, 48, another early retired teacher, said the reason for her decision to retire was the desire to take care of her children and home. “I wanted to have time to what I had been to busy for while teaching,” she said.

Al-Muwallad still has 13 years left to complete her service and receive a full pension. “But the fact is that my family needs me. Also, I didn’t have enough energy to continue educating and coping with the new changes in the field,” she said.

Al-Muwallad said she is now living a relaxed life away from the distractions she had before. “Money is not everything. Taking care of my home is way more important. I don’t regret it, actually, I feel reborn,” she said. 
Arwa Al-Bandar, 40, said she applied for early retirement because of the changes in teaching methods and the constant performance evaluations. “It is a very wearying field, especially when you’re getting older.” She said she was unable to keep up with the development researches that the ministry requires. “Lately I felt nervous every time a pupil asked a question. I became unable to convey the curriculum content as I used to.” Because of this, she decided to do without the salary that used to represent a large support.

Azzah Al-Harithi, an educational information supervisor at the Ministry of Education, said that many of the women who retire early have a long experience. She said that many complained about the constant evaluation. “The evaluation is necessary and important for the success of the educational process. Unfortunately, it seems that it has been applied in an environment that was not ready for it yet,” she said, adding that maybe the early retirees thought it would be faster and easier to escape the many extra-curricular activities and classes. 
Munira Al-Masoud, another educational supervisor, said she did not agree that change was the real reason for early retirement. “We compelled teachers, principals and school officials to train for using computers in teaching. 
For instance, they would learn how to put homework on CDs and correct them on the computer. They benefited from the experience and thought it was great, including those who disagreed with the idea of change.” 
Psychology and educational consultant Nizar Ramadan said women might think about early retirement for several reasons. “A woman could have other responsibilities at home that put more pressure on her. Another reason is psychological. 

When a woman reaches her late 30s or 40s, especially when her children have married, she might feel that it is time to rest. She would want to be free for hobbies, to exercise at sport clubs and enjoy her life in general.” 
Some would feel that they have not been fulfilling their duties toward families so they retire early to compensate, he added.

Empowering women: Kingdom leads the way

“I believe strongly in the rights of women. My mother is a woman. My sister is a woman. My daughter is a woman. My wife is a woman,” said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in an interview with Barbara Walters on American television station ABC in October 2005.

Saudi women have taken remarkable steps toward successful achievements thanks to King Abdullah’s full support in various areas.

On the occasion of the seventh anniversary of King Abdullah’s accession to throne, Saudi activist for children and women’s rights and member of the National Society of Human’s Rights’ executive board, Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen, said: Following the king’s decision in September 2011 to allow women to become members of the Shoura Council as well as vote and contest the municipal councils, Saudi women have been given a powerful political right.

“Political participation is one of the most significant rights that Saudi women have gained from our beloved king. Saudi women are more successful than ever because our king believed in us and gave us our rights,” she said. “Saudi women have proven they are qualified to hold leading positions and becoming fully involved in both Shoura and municipal councils helps them gain their social, political and civil rights,” she added.

“Saudi women are now lawyers, engineers, scientists and successful businesswoman and we are asking for more. Now that women do not need permission from their male guardians to apply for a job or start a business, we also ask that we be given other benefits that do not need the authorization of our male guardians like going on a scholarship for female students and going to the Saudi courts, where women need to accompanied by male guardians,” said Al-Abideen.

Naila Attar, businesswoman and founder of the Baladi (My Town) initiative calling for women to be able to vote and participate in the municipal council elections, said all Saudi men should follow their king and make him their role model when it comes to wise leadership and empowering women.

“We are living now in the golden age for Saudi women because we are witnessing a huge number of successes among us that has never seen before in the Kingdom,” she said.

“We are looking to be part of the political process in the municipal council and our initiative is to help those women gain experience and education to be decision makers. We have sent a report to the minister of municipal affairs demanding to start a female voluntary committee in municipal councils around the Kingdom to make sure women get the proper awareness, rehabilitation and training,” she added.

Columnist at Al-Watan newspaper and professor of linguistics at King Abdulaziz University’s girls’ college Amira Kashgari said she believes King Abdullah empowered Saudi women in so many different areas.

“This is notably the case in the political arena and there are so many other areas where women have been empowered in the Kingdom in the last seven years intellectually, socially, economically and politically,” she said.
“This political empowerment has transformed women’s ideas of themselves and the social balance in Saudi Arabia. To be part of the Shoura Council and to be able to vote and contest for the municipality councils is a major milestone in Saudi women’s lives because it will not only empower women but society as well,” she added.

“When you empower women, you empower the whole society because it reflects on the economic development of the Kingdom. Women’s participation is a must in all areas,” said Kashgari.

10 Saudi women take fight against breast cancer to Mount Everest

RIYADH: Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan and the Zahra Breast Cancer Association launched a campaign on Tuesday where 10 Saudi women will climb to the Mount Everest base camp in May.

The 10 climbers include Jude Al-Aitani, Asma Al-Sharif, Mashael Alhegelan, Mona Shahab, Noura Bouzo, Raha Al-Moharrak, Lina Almaeena, Samaher Mously, Hatun Madani, Alya Al-Sa’ad, Reema Al-Saud, and Marie Green. They will be accompanied by a filming crew.
The campaign, titled “A Woman's Journey: Destination Mount Everest,” will raise awareness about breast cancer and is being held under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education.

Under the banners of Alf Khair (the CSR arm of Alfa International Limited “Harvey Nichols”) and Al-Bidayah Breastfeeding Resource and Women's Awareness Center, Princess Reema is heading the campaign.

Explaining the aims of the campaign, the princess said: “Alf Khair and Al-Bidayah are leading advocates for women's causes in the Kingdom and we want NGOs, schools, universities, activists, the government, and media to be part of this campaign to form a network that not only builds awareness but helps us achieve our vision of having healthier and cancer-free Saudi women. I am honored and proud to lend my voice to this collective group effort.”

The campaign, which was organized by Princess Reema and Dr. Modi Batterjee, highlights awareness on breast cancer prevention through adapting healthy lifestyle habits and staying physically active.
This is based on extensive research published in major scientific journals worldwide indicating that physically active women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than inactive women.
In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, investigators found that the amount of activity needed to achieve a 23 percent reduction in risk of breast cancer was roughly equivalent to 3.25 hours of running or 13 hours of walking per week.

Due to the 8,000 cases of breast cancer being discovered annually in Saudi Arabia according to the Saudi Cancer Registry at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, making it the most common type of cancer in Saudi women, this campaign seeks to encourage Saudi women to spread awareness about breast cancer and its early detection.
“The campaign's goals are threefold: Spread awareness, encourage greater participation, and promote healthier lifestyles. The Zahra Breast Cancer Association is privileged that Princess Reema has taken up such a noble cause and we hope this May Saudi women will join us when we climb Mount Everest, and walk for 15 minutes a day in support of the climbers and help spread awareness about this deadly disease,” said campaign spokesperson and breast cancer survivor Ola Abbass Al-Marzouky, who is also general supervisor for Zahra’s Makkah office. Besides promoting exercise, the campaign focuses on early detection, since 50 to 60 percent of cases in Saudi Arabia are diagnosed at a late stage.
Dr. Muna Baslaim, a breast surgeon at King Fahd General Hospital in Jeddah, urges women to have routine checkups. “Breast cancer is on the rise in the Kingdom and early detection can prevent cancer. Women aged 40 and above should have an annual mammogram screening. Women in their 20's and 30's should be aware of their health and how their breasts feel so they can seek medical advice early,” she explained.

Princess Reema and Batterjee were inspired by their previous success in breaking the Guinness World Record on behalf of Zahra in 2010 by forming a human pink ribbon chain in Jeddah.

Al-Aama: I expect more women leaders and decision-makers to step forward

JEDDAH: With an experience of more than 19 years in IT, coupled with a strong educational background in computing, Arwa Al-Aama’s goal is to participate in Saudi Arabia’s technological advancement. As vice mayor at Jeddah municipality’s IT department, she is the first woman to hold a leadership role in IT in a Saudi governmental agency.

Her work has resulted in the municipality winning 8 prestigious awards in IT. She also holds the position of vice mayor for women’s affairs, in which she pursues her second personal goal - empowering Saudi women. In this role, Al-Aama opened up new job opportunities to women in municipal services in the Kingdom and is responsible for improving the quality of municipal services provided to women.

Al-Aama is also a member of the executive committee for the Saudi National eGovernment Plan and the Saudi National Science and Technology Plan. Al-Aama spoke to Arab News about her views on the Kingdom’s development in the next few years.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

Rapid changes

What changes will have a major impact on the lives of Saudi nationals within the next 20 years?

We have witnessed many changes over the past three to four years in this country. In the coming period, I expect more female leaders and decision makers to step forward. I also expect more focus on globalization by opening up investment possibilities to foreign investors in the Saudi market. I expect the next generation of women to be stronger and more independent.”

Leadership factors

What do you think of current leadership roles in the Kingdom’s various organizations and what are the contributing factors?

We are expecting more educated people and PhD holders to return to the Kingdom, so the competition for the leadership role will be tough. In the past, such a competition hardly existed due to a lack of candidates with a PhD or Masters degree. I think the standards for choosing a leader will be much higher and developed. Leadership will not be exclusive to certain groups. For example, the appointment of Adel Fakeih as labor minister indicates a change in skills that are now expected of a leader. Fakeih came from the private sector and then he worked in the government sector. This is why he understands the needs of merchants, citizens and government employees.

Challenging tasks

What are the most difficult challenges that need to be met with in the Kingdom within the next 20 years?

I think the difficulty will lie in how to convince society about any new decision. For example, any changes affecting the role of women are always difficult to become accepted and implemented. Our experience in the municipality is a model story. We faced difficulties when all people refused our work in the municipality, but when we did a great job and won many awards, the male employees started to believe in the importance of our contribution. Today, about four departments called for the employment of women. All in all, women have to work as well as men within the framework of Islamic law.

Creative project

Can you give an example of a creative project you would like to establish in the Kingdom?

I would like to change the communication management system. Each government sector has its own system with a high budget. Building such a system requires a lot of time and money. For example, we paid SR9 million and dedicated 18 months to implement this system. The government wastes billion of riyals and a lot of time on these management communication systems. I would like to set up a company that creates this system and distributes it to other sectors for free.

KSA in three words

What three words would you use to describe the Kingdom in the next 20 years and why?

I would describe Saudi Arabia as an Islamic lighthouse, a lighthouse for civilization and as the Kingdom of the Two Holy Mosques. I chose these descriptions because I want the Kingdom to guide people. I believe the Kingdom should be a beacon to other countries. Actually, we have Islamic rules and we implement some of them, but we don’t fully enjoy Islamic morals. For example, we want to deal with corruption and even get rid of it in consonance with Islamic rules. We should then also put an end to bad streets, and the marriage of underage girls and many other violations. Once we eliminate these, the Kingdom would be truly an Islamic and a lighthouse to civilization.

Responsibility of officials

What characteristics do you think are important for officials in the Kingdom and how would these characteristics contribute toward the Kingdom’s further development?

Enjoying the Islamic morals and implementing them is the most important characteristic that each leader should have. Characteristics that each leader should have include understanding people’s backgrounds, accepting others’ ethics, respecting people’s culture and knowing very well what a leader should be doing. Leaders should also have a great love for their country.

Human rights

How can we improve on human rights in Saudi Arabia and what are your expectations in this field for the next 20 years?

In the next 20 years, Saudi nationals will make more progress in the human rights field. I would like to shift this responsibility to a ministry. Such an initiative would certainly change things. In the Kingdom, a large number of divorce cases are pending in court. Children’s rights are also ignored in most divorce cases. Marrying off little girls is also a violation of human rights, and these phenomena must be stopped. I expect much improvement in solving problems related to workers’ rights. Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih is working hard to ensure the rights of citizens and expatriates.

Biggest challenge

What is the biggest challenge facing the Kingdom today?

The Kingdom is too big and it has many different backgrounds and culture. The biggest challenge is to satisfy the society as a whole.

Neglected sectors

What are the most prominent economic activities in the Kingdom and what are neglected sectors that need to be developed?

The most active sectors in the Kingdom are food and textiles. In contrast, the most neglected sectors are health clubs for women. We need a ministry to allow investment opportunities in the health clubs and gym sectors. We also need to have permission to establish institutions and training centers. Unfortunately, many Saudi students return from abroad carrying certificates in rare fields that are still neglected in the Saudi market, so they can’t use their expertise. I would also like to create institutions to train Saudis for different careers and boost Saudization. Saudis would be happy to prepare themselves for a career in official institutions.

Housing growth

There is a huge demand for housing in the Kingdom because of the increasing young population. The government has allocated SR250 billion to housing. Do you believe the housing sector needs much attention from the government and private sector?

We need options for Saudi nationals to own houses. I think affordable housing projects will not satisfy all segments of society. For example, people with medium salaries will not accept a two-room house. I advise government organizations to benefit from the practice of Saudi Aramco, which provides loans to its staff. Employees must pay monthly fees. Also, women should be allowed to rent houses and sign contracts with the apartment owners. Unfortunately, many successful women, who are divorced or widowed, can’t rent a house, only because they don’t have a husband or ‘mahram’ (a male guardian). I think, widows and divorced women should be allowed to live in buildings meant for families.

Role of SMEs

There is a need to boost small business enterprises (SME) in the Kingdom, as it creates various jobs. What role do you see for SMEs in the Kingdom’s economic development?

The sector is considered to be very important as it promotes innovation. However, I feel an organization should lead the sector and it should organize SMEs’ activities and support them. For example, this organization could provide young people with loans, and offer training and support with the help of experienced businessmen.

Knowledge hunt

Education has always been a priority of the Saudi government. What changes would you recommend for the education system to prepare Saudi youth for work in a knowledge-based economy?

Many skills are absent in our students, such as presentation skills, IT skills and communication skills, as well as the English language. Such skills have to be taught from the first day at school. In universities, we need to create fields that serve the needs of the labor market. We need public relations colleges, graphic design and many other fields that are really not taught in Saudi public universities at the moment. We should establish more vocational training institutions in the Kingdom. Youth in the US prefer these to universities. I think such institutions would receive many students.

Fair opportunities

How do you see Saudi women contributing to the workforce and the political arena in the future?

We need to make it easier for Saudi women to invest their money in the Kingdom. Now, most women keep their money in banks for no clear reason. I advise the Ministry of Commerce to initiate investigating this issue and start supporting women to invest. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah recently decided to allow women to participate in the Shoura Council and municipal elections. This will surely affect the lives of Saudi women. In addition, women are working in Saudi embassies abroad and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I hope to see women as ministers.

Women’s future role

How do you see the future role of Saudi women?

I think women have to understand our society’s background and follow the Islamic restrictions. They should not cross our social and Islamic limits. I have seen many businesswomen and leaders not respecting the Islamic and social rules. Women have to respect the work environment and the audience they are targeting while they represent the Kingdom.

Media standards

What measures and standards are yet to be applied in Saudi media and what are your expectations?

Facebook and Twitter’s main aim is to open a discussion between people without standards. At the same time, official pages belonging to government organizations should be restricted with certain rules, so the people cannot create rumors and post them. During the Jeddah flood in 2009, our Facebook page was buzzing with rumors from people. The IT team refused to close the page, so we started observing the page 24 hours a day, updating it and making sure that it was free of rumors. Identity theft issues should be solved to ensure the rights of government offices.
I advise social media organizations to ask for an identity certificate to make sure that no fake pages are opened. I expect the social media phenomenon to continue as when people get the freedom to speak and deliver their voice, they will never ignore this media again.

Social media

What impact will social media have on change in the Kingdom?

People are communicating through social media to launch campaigns, help poor people and call for their needs. For example, in Ramadan, my daughter and some of her friends organize meals for the poor through social media. I believe that social media helps to empower the new generation.

Traditional media

What impact has the social media had on the Kingdom’s traditional media?

I believe that social media will never kill traditional media. Social media has many advantages such as interactivity with readers. Traditional media can show pictures in different sizes, whereas social media have no space for them.”

Learning from past

What main mistakes have been repeated in the Kingdom over the past 10 years? How could we eliminate these to help the Kingdom develop?

The flood catastrophe was a big mistake and I wish it will not be repeated. Another mistake that I would like to avoid is in the government purchase system. This system allows for big mistakes that may lead to catastrophes. A unified system that lists corruption and assembles a blacklist could ensure that such mistakes would never be repeated. Some Umrah pilgrims also cause issues when they come to the Kingdom and stay forever without an iqama (resident permit). We don’t have a system to monitor illegal expatriate workers.

Sustainable development

What should leaders in government and private sectors do to ensure the Kingdom’s growth and sustainable development?

I wish that our leaders would learn from the experiences of others, see best practices in the world and plan ahead for the coming years. Their plans should match with the needs of the country and its various organizations.

Message to youth

With youth making up the majority of the Saudi population, what message would you want to give them and what would you say to the rest of the population?

I am very proud of our young people. They are very ambitious. I want to highlight that our youth need to be proud of their country, their language, and their religion. I also want to say that older generations should be proud of the king and the country.