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.

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The EPCCI: A Foot in the Door for Businesswomen
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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.)

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Conservative Objections
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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.

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Comment
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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