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7 responses so far ↓

  • Nasser // March 3, 2009 at 12:20 pm

    First of all I like your way of writing and I have been reading your own stories and articles but I got one point I want to raise it with you is why you trying to criticize your own culture because of having only driver license is to me some thing weird , if you visited all rural area around the globe specially within undeveloped countries you will find the same and worse than what are in your home , why I am saying this in any culture there are thing we like and dislike for people who are educated like you we rely on them to need to create the proper awareness like why is important of such behavior , act or mind set need to be changed and what was suitable before can not be suitable now , but with out making it as silly or joke about it. You can be with the talent you have ambassador of change and you can drive it better than you drive your car now if you know how optimize the knowledge you got.

    Kind regards

    Nasser

  • Tariq A. Al-Maeena // May 9, 2009 at 3:13 am

    Saudi businesswoman calls it quits!
    Tariq A. Al-Maeena

    Saturday, May 02, 2009

    Alia Banaja is a local product. Born and raised in Jeddah, she graduated from a local university some years ago. Soon after, she established the first IT business run exclusively by women. At the time, the industry was dominated by males, but over the years Alia has validated her proficiency in the field and had signed up some long term clients.

    Her company, 2 The Point, formed in 2002, is a medium-sized companies in the information technology sector and has worked on the successful implementation of several projects for government and private sector companies such as King Faisal Specialist Hospital and the Department of Home Economics at the University of King Abdul Aziz in Jeddah among others.

    But Alia and thousands of other Saudi businesswomen in the Kingdom faced a dilemma. Saudi commercial law at the time required her to appoint a male legal agent to conduct her affairs with the various governmental organizations. Women were not expected to deal with our bureaucracies. And there was no way around it.

    For Alia and others who often do not find a trusted male family member willing to commit themselves to carry on those chores on demand, the only option was to hire some male agent practically of the street and sign over the power of attorney, granting him full and absolute powers in company matters.

    Over the years there have been various reported incidences of such abuse of power by these so-called legal agents. Many a businesswoman has found herself on the short end of the stick upon discovering that her appointed agent had hauled away the company goods, leaving her in great financial distress and liability. The legal recourse available was often time-consuming and discouraging.

    And so Alia began a campaign to do away with the condition of appointing a male agent. In light of recent progress on the issue of women’s rights in the Kingdom, she and many others like her so no reason why they could not dispense with this requirement while running their businesses.

    Working along with several businesswomen from the Eastern and Central Provinces, they formulated a movement to abrogate the requirements for a male legal representative that was issued back in 2004. Initially, the focus was on raising public awareness on the potential dangers of such a rule on female business owners.

    The next step was to close down their businesses if their demands for the removal of this condition were not met. And finally, if that did not bear positive results from the concerned organs in the government, then they would appeal directly to King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his favorable action.

    After her last meeting with Hassan Aqeel, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Trade who re-iterated the requirements for a male General Manager in businesses owned by women and which dealt with both sexes, Alia felt the time to act had finally dawned.

    Last week, Alia closed down her local operations. She plans to relocate her enterprise to London. With a heavy heart, she had to inform her employees that she could simply not continue in the face of such a rule, especially when she had been recently victimized albeit on a small scale by one of her ‘appointed male agents’.

    After a couple of long discussions with her, I came away convinced that this was not a self-aggrandizing act or one taken with the selfish interest of promoting herself or her business. Nor does she consider herself as a leading vanguard of women’s rights.

    Instead said Alia, “I realize the anguish of the female workers in the company, but the constant pressure exerted by the appointed male agents in my business has disrupted many of my economic interests. I am no longer able to accomplish projects as quickly and efficiently as required, so the closure of my business activity is optimal for the moment. I understand that the closure does not help the economy, but the obstacles to come to work and appoint a male agent was becoming intolerable and burdensome, and causing me a great deal of anxiety.”

    And what of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce that was so much in the news a couple of years ago for electing women on their board? Had she heard anything from them? “Nothing, absolutely nothing! I have waited long enough for them to act on behalf of us businesswomen, but the realities are otherwise.”

    According to Basma Al-Omair, head of the Khadija bint Khuwailed Center at the Chamber of Commerce, when asked of her reaction to Alia’s move, “the decision of closure is a personal matter for the woman. So far I do not have sufficient information on the subject of closures”, she said, adding that the Chamber had sent a request to the concerned minister some times back to do away with this obstacle, but has yet to receive any reply.

    Statistics by the Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah reveal about 20 thousand small and medium-run businesses with a capital of more than 60 billion riyals in operations, yet the same statistics reveal little in the number of female owners and staff working in these companies and small enterprises.

    A simple question must be put forward to the Minister of Commerce and Trade. Why tout away WTO membership when the plain issue of doing away with this antiquated requirement that affects so many businesswomen negatively in this country cannot be boldly addressed and rectified? How many Alia Banajas have to suffer before action is taken? Who are we afraid of? Or should we simply confine our women to the home and the kitchen?

    The writer is a Saudi socio/political commentator. He lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and can be reached at talmaeena@gmail.com

  • Notmyrealname // July 2, 2009 at 2:50 am

    Hi, Hala!

    I have been reading your blog for a few months. I work at a university on the West Coast, and I know lots of Saudi students.

    I was very interested to see your article about Ms. Wajiha Al-Huwaider. Have you been to Sewall-Belmont house in DC yet? I think you would find it interesting.

    I am visiting DC for a few days — and I am planning to go to this museum. If you would like to go together, please contact me.

    Best Wishes

  • NotMyRealName // August 6, 2009 at 4:51 am

    Hi, Hala — you haven’t posted for a whole month! I hope you’re just busy with school, and that everything’s going well.

  • Hala // August 8, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    I’m busy playing mother for my two young nephews, who are here with me in US for the summer holiday, May God Bless All MOTHERS!!

  • Ummzayna // September 2, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    Assalaamualaikum Hala,

    I hope you are doing well Hala. I have read your blog and I beleive you can be of great help to us.

    I would appreciate if you could help in promoting the website for the Association For Discussion Of National Issues Of Saudi Arabia (ADNISA) on your blog. The association discusses news and issues concerning Saudis and Muslims around the globle and can be visited at http://www.adnisa.yolasite.com. Your help will be extremely appreciated.

    Jazakarallah khair,
    Regards,
    Salman

  • Ummzayna // September 2, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    I used my sister’s name in the beginning and my name in the end. Both of us run ADNISA.

    You can contact us at sabdulaz@learn.senecac.on.ca

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