Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH495
2006-07-25 05:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN SPEAK: THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE
how-toVZCZCXRO9896 RR RUEHDE DE RUEHJI #0495/01 2060522 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 250522Z JUL 06 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9367 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6690 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000495
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP,
INR/B;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2031
TAGS: ECON KISL KWMN PINR SA SCUL SOCI
SUBJECT: YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN SPEAK: THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller for reason 1.4 (b) and (
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000495
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP,
INR/B;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2031
TAGS: ECON KISL KWMN PINR SA SCUL SOCI
SUBJECT: YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN SPEAK: THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller for reason 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Summary. In a discussion with Saudi college-aged
women, EconOff learned about some of the issues confronting
young females in Jeddah, what concerns they have for the
future, and their thoughts about their portrayal in the West.
As Saudi society undergoes numerous changes, young Saudi
women are excited and encouraged by the opportunities that
are increasingly available to them and hope to become more
active in all aspects of Saudi society. They also have
strong opinions about how the Muslim image is allegedly being
distorted by the media and are frustrated by having to often
refute negative stereotypes of Saudi Arabia. End Summary.
2.(U) On July 18 EconOff met with a group of young women
from Dar al-Hekma college and King Abdul Aziz University.
Some of the ladies were recent college graduates and the
others were entering their junior year. They completed
their studies in a variety of majors including Management
Information Systems, English, and Interior Design.
--------------
ENTERING THE WORKFORCE
--------------
3. (C) The young women were optimistic about finding
employment after graduation from college. Two of the ladies
had part-time jobs while in school and said that they are
trying to get as much work experience as possible in order to
get a better job when they graduate. They said that their
parents were generally supportive of their career goals as
long as they did not have to travel with their work, which
would not be acceptable by cultural standards. One young
lady currently works for a youth magazine and the others plan
to open a business together. They claim that it is now
easier for women to work and not neglect their families
because the culture is more accepting of women working and
some employers are making it even easy by providing on the
job daycare. They feel that because society is progressing
they have more options and as a result have many interests
that they want to pursue.
4. (C) Government employment is still preferred by young
Saudis, however, the ladies said that in their circles more
students are pursuing fields of study so they can work in the
private sector. Jobs in the banking sector and graphic
design are most popular. Overall, they are very interested
in business and want to know more about Saudi Arabia's
accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). They are
curious about how Saudi Arabia can benefit from the WTO and
what is going to change in the country as a result of
accession. On the stock market, they said that many people
lost a lot of money because of the decline but they blamed
companies for a lack of transparency and said that the very
rich investors "manipulated the market at the expense of the
people."
5. (C) Recognizing their status as middle class, the young
women aspire to one day be able to help all Saudi women.
They said they would open community centers to help people
who need access to educational materials such as computers
and provide activities for the youth to participate in. They
view the lack of educational opportunities and training as
one of the major problems Saudi women face today.
--------------
NOT IN MY NAME
--------------
6. (C) Another major concern of these young women is that
they feel the Western world is ignorant about what Saudi
Arabia is really like. They blame the Western media for
distorting the West's view of Saudi Arabia and Islam. They
say that the bad side of Saudi Arabia is always displayed but
the media rarely shows the improvements that are occurring in
the Kingdom. They feel that media is biased against Arabs.
7.(C) The ladies also feel that extremists are damaging the
world's view of Islam; they repeatedly told EconOff that:
"this is not Islam." When asked what could be done to improve
the situation, the young ladies said that both sides need to
learn more about each other in order to understand the
differences between them. They feel that as more people knew
JEDDAH 00000495 002 OF 002
more about Islam, they will recognize how deviant the
extremists are from the true message of Islam.
Gfoeller
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP,
INR/B;
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2031
TAGS: ECON KISL KWMN PINR SA SCUL SOCI
SUBJECT: YOUNG SAUDI WOMEN SPEAK: THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller for reason 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Summary. In a discussion with Saudi college-aged
women, EconOff learned about some of the issues confronting
young females in Jeddah, what concerns they have for the
future, and their thoughts about their portrayal in the West.
As Saudi society undergoes numerous changes, young Saudi
women are excited and encouraged by the opportunities that
are increasingly available to them and hope to become more
active in all aspects of Saudi society. They also have
strong opinions about how the Muslim image is allegedly being
distorted by the media and are frustrated by having to often
refute negative stereotypes of Saudi Arabia. End Summary.
2.(U) On July 18 EconOff met with a group of young women
from Dar al-Hekma college and King Abdul Aziz University.
Some of the ladies were recent college graduates and the
others were entering their junior year. They completed
their studies in a variety of majors including Management
Information Systems, English, and Interior Design.
--------------
ENTERING THE WORKFORCE
--------------
3. (C) The young women were optimistic about finding
employment after graduation from college. Two of the ladies
had part-time jobs while in school and said that they are
trying to get as much work experience as possible in order to
get a better job when they graduate. They said that their
parents were generally supportive of their career goals as
long as they did not have to travel with their work, which
would not be acceptable by cultural standards. One young
lady currently works for a youth magazine and the others plan
to open a business together. They claim that it is now
easier for women to work and not neglect their families
because the culture is more accepting of women working and
some employers are making it even easy by providing on the
job daycare. They feel that because society is progressing
they have more options and as a result have many interests
that they want to pursue.
4. (C) Government employment is still preferred by young
Saudis, however, the ladies said that in their circles more
students are pursuing fields of study so they can work in the
private sector. Jobs in the banking sector and graphic
design are most popular. Overall, they are very interested
in business and want to know more about Saudi Arabia's
accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). They are
curious about how Saudi Arabia can benefit from the WTO and
what is going to change in the country as a result of
accession. On the stock market, they said that many people
lost a lot of money because of the decline but they blamed
companies for a lack of transparency and said that the very
rich investors "manipulated the market at the expense of the
people."
5. (C) Recognizing their status as middle class, the young
women aspire to one day be able to help all Saudi women.
They said they would open community centers to help people
who need access to educational materials such as computers
and provide activities for the youth to participate in. They
view the lack of educational opportunities and training as
one of the major problems Saudi women face today.
--------------
NOT IN MY NAME
--------------
6. (C) Another major concern of these young women is that
they feel the Western world is ignorant about what Saudi
Arabia is really like. They blame the Western media for
distorting the West's view of Saudi Arabia and Islam. They
say that the bad side of Saudi Arabia is always displayed but
the media rarely shows the improvements that are occurring in
the Kingdom. They feel that media is biased against Arabs.
7.(C) The ladies also feel that extremists are damaging the
world's view of Islam; they repeatedly told EconOff that:
"this is not Islam." When asked what could be done to improve
the situation, the young ladies said that both sides need to
learn more about each other in order to understand the
differences between them. They feel that as more people knew
JEDDAH 00000495 002 OF 002
more about Islam, they will recognize how deviant the
extremists are from the true message of Islam.
Gfoeller