KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY: What is the role of the government and private sectors in tackling obstacles faced by women in leadership positions? How will greater women’s participation contribute to the global economy?
These were key questions posed at the Top CEO Conference held in King Abdullah Economic City on Tuesday.
Women’s participation in the global economy “could increase the world’s GDP (gross domestic product) by up to $28 trillion by the year 2050,” said Dr. Kerry Healey, president of Babson College, Massachusetts.
Khalid Abdullah Janahi — group CEO of the Dar Al-Maal Al-Islami Trust (DMI Trust), who has 30 years of experience in banking and financial services — said: “If women were given the opportunity to run global economies, they would do much better than most men.”
Some speakers suggested the imposition of company gender quotas to boost the number of women in senior posts.
“I see quotas as a part of the solution, not the only one,” said Mohammed Hassan Ali Abudawood, president of the M. Abudawood Group.
“I’m with the quota system because we have a very high rate of women’s unemployment, not only in the Kingdom but around the world.”
Abudawood estimated the rate of Saudi women’s unemployment at about 26 percent. “In order to solve this problem, we should start doing a few things, including the quota system, where we force companies to hire a specific number of women employees… We can start with small numbers and make it pro-rata according to the activity of those companies.”
But hiring women in positions where they have to deal with dangerous operations can be difficult, he said.
Improving the economic conditions for women will eventually make them prosper and get better training, education and lifestyle instead of staying at home unemployed, he added.
Some 1,400 doctors cannot find jobs after graduating from medical school, said Abudawood.
“Most of them are women. We have to find jobs for them, and the way to do that is to go to hospitals and impose quotas. They have to train them and eventually hire them, even if the government subsidizes the process, which is available right now, but it needs a push.”
The Kingdom is taking steps to entrust women in leading positions. In one week in February, three Saudi women were appointed to top jobs in the male-dominated financial sector.
Sarah Al-Suhaimi was appointed chair of the Saudi stock exchange (Tadawul); Rania Nashar became CEO of Samba Financial Group; and Latifa Al-Sabhan was appointed chief financial officer of Arab National Bank (ANB).
Women in leadership positions: Are quotas the answer?
Women in leadership positions: Are quotas the answer?
Minzal brings Saudi traditions to life in Diriyah
- From leather crafts and archery to Saudi coffee, Minzal offers a lesson in ‘Sloum Al-Arab’
RIYADH: This season of Minzal places social norms and traditional etiquette at its center, with tents set up to teach what is locally known as “Sloum Al-Arab” alongside gatherings for coffee, dinner and stargazing around campfires.
“Sloum Al-Arab” refers to the unwritten customers and values that have shaped Arab and Bedouin society for centuries, including generosity, coffee preparation, courage and archery.
In Saudi Arabia, these traditions are closely ties to cultural identity and religious belief.
Leather products and the making of leather goods is one of the crafts featured at Minzal this year and is one of the oldest crafts still practiced in the kingdom.
“The most difficult thing I faced to work on was camel leather because it is a little tough,” Nada Samman, a leather trainer and craftsman at Minzal, told Arab News.
“The work on leather is wonderful whether it is goat leather, cow leather, Sawakni sheep, and of course, camel leather. At Minzal, we are offering multiple handicraft workshops, most specifically the leather handicrafts. We want visitors to spend time at something useful and fun."
Samman explained the workshops allowed participants to preserve heritage while engaging in meaning, hands on activities.
Faisal Al-Khaled, a visual artist and craftsman specializing in Saudi designs at Minzal, shared a similar goal: “I want people to have, by the end of this experience, a unique and traditional art piece created by them, and that I know I helped them to preserve this craft.”
Minzal, which has been organized for several years now, continues to evolve with each season, offering activities that highlight Bedouin values, traditional skills and sports. Archery is a key feature, reflecting its deep roots in Arab and Islamic history.
Mohammed Al-Sharif, a certified archery player and coach with the Saudi Archery Federation since 2028, said the sport was closely connected to Saudi culture. It was encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad, which led people to learn and teach it through generations.
“Our traditional bow is considered one of the most important and widely used bows in Arab culture,” Al-Sharif said. “We have several styles, and professional archers specializing in traditional bow shooting … There are various types of archery, such as horseback archery and standing archery, where bow sizes vary according to specific needs, such as types used for hunting and others used during warfare.”
He explained that archery was historically part of daily life, used for protection and hunting.
Saudi coffee also plays a significant role in the Minzal experience, with live demonstrations. One of the most frequently consumed beverages in the Kingdom, it is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.
Ahmed Al-Shuaibi explained how it was prepared at the Sloum tent, first by roasting the beans and then allowing them to cool. The beans are ground with spices in a Nigr.
“Coffee is passed from our grandparents,” he added. “In significant majlis, you see them offering our local coffee and not other types of coffee. We organized this corner so that young generations can visit and learn this.”
