SETBACKS FOR SAUDI BUSINESSWOMEN IN THE EP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 005316 SIPDIS SIPDIS DHAHRAN SENDS PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/04/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWMN KPAO SA SUBJECT: SETBACKS FOR SAUDI BUSINESSWOMEN IN THE EP REF: A. RIYADH 5136 ¶B. RIYADH 4545 ¶C. 2005 RIYADH 9366 Classified By: Consul General John Kincannon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Summary: Director of the Businesswomen's Committee at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hana Al-Zuhair recounted recent setbacks for businesswomen. In a meeting on June 27 2006, Al-Zuhair told the PAO about a mixed-gender meeting held at the Chamber in April, to discuss the labor regulation expanding the kinds of workplaces open to women. Al-Zuhair said that following this meeting, the Chamber was criticized in the press and she received several phone calls condemning her participation in a mixed gathering. She told the PAO that the Governor of the Eastern Province, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd, issued an official warning, saying that if it happened again the Businesswomen's Committee would be closed. End summary. -------------- --- The EPCCI: A Foot in the Door for Businesswomen -------------- --- ¶2. (C) The Businesswomen's Center at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) opened in the summer of 2005, as the first official representation of women at EPCCI. The Center is active, with regular workshops and seminars for businesswomen in the Eastern Province. During the run up to the EPCCI's elections for the board of directors in February 2006, the Center held information sessions about the electoral process for women, who were allowed for the first time to both vote and run for office (ref C). Six women ran in the elections, but none won a seat on the board. Many women hoped that one or two women would be among the governments' six appointed members, but no woman was appointed. (Comment: Other EPCCI board members have told us that Prince Mohammad and EPCCI Chairman Abdul Rahman al-Rashed were instrumental in ensuring that the Ministry of Commerce appointed no women to the EPCCI board. End comment.) -------------- Conservative Objections -------------- ¶3. (C) Hana Al-Zuhair, the Director of the Businesswomen's Center, is an energetic leader, and she has pushed for greater inclusion of women in EPCCI activities. In a meeting on June 27 2006, she told the PAO that she convinced the President of the board, Abdulrahman Al-Rashid, that women should be included in an April meeting to discuss the new labor law allowing women to work in clothing stores. "I told him the discussion itself was about women, so how could he have the discussion without women present?" Al Zuhair said. ¶4. (C) Al Zuhair said that the meeting was held around a long table, with the women at one end and the men at the other. All of the women wore abayas, and covered their hair and faces. According to Al Zuhair, at one point one of the religious men in the room, identifiable by his long beard, suggested that they split the major shopping strip of King Khalid Street in the city of Khobar in half. One end would be for men, and the other half could be for women. "So you are going to allow women to drive?" responded Al-Zuhair. "How will we be able to get to the stores if men aren't allowed on half of the street and women aren't allowed to drive?" Al-Zuhair told the group that she had a counter proposal - "Let's split the country". ¶5. (C) In the days following the meeting, Al-Zuhair said, newspapers ran critical coverage of the meeting. Many people called Al-Zuhair directly to voice their complaints about the mixed-gender meeting. Prince Mohammed bin Fahd, the Governor of the Eastern Province, issued a formal warning to the EPCCI, saying that if a mixed-gender meeting happened again, the Businesswomen's Center would be closed. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Comment: King Abdullah is generally seen as supporting reform and greater rights for women. Recent events, as recounted in Riyadh 5136, suggest that conservative forces remain strong and are actively resisting any attempts at change. Businesswomen in the Eastern Province have seen hopes for progress fluctuate over the past RIYADH 00005316 002 OF 002 year. The labor regulation expanding the availability of retail workplaces for women, announced last fall, has yet to be implemented (ref B). End comment. (Approved: Kincannon) OBERWETTER