KUWAIT: EMBASSY REACHES OUT ON INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000370 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, G/IWI, NEA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KPAO KWMN PHUM PREL SUBJECT: KUWAIT: EMBASSY REACHES OUT ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WITH AN OP-ED AND EVENT FOR WOMEN IN FINANCIAL SECTOR REF: A. SECSTATE 27908 ¶B. KUWAIT 39 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The embassy marked International Women's Day on March 8 by placing an op-ed in Kuwaiti newspapers that recognized the achievements of Kuwaiti women over the last year and by reaching out to a new set of contacts -- women in the financial sector -- through a lunch hosted by the Ambassador. The op-ed appeared on March 8 in all Arabic and English-language newspapers in Kuwait with a combined circulation of more than 400,000. The lunch, also on March 8, brought together women from several leading Kuwaiti banks and finance houses, and from the faculty of the American University of Kuwait and provoked an animated and generally upbeat discussion of the status of women in Kuwait. The Ambassador encouraged the women to develop links with American counterparts and provided contact points and reference material on women in the American financial sector to help make that happen. End summary. Op-ed Highlights Achievements, Promotes Full and Equal Rights -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Embassy undertook two major activities in celebration of International Women's Day on March 8. The mission placed an op-ed from the Ambassador in Kuwaiti newspapers that highlighted the important events for women that took place in Kuwait over the past year. The Ambassador congratulated Kuwait on its inclusion of women in national elections last summer, describing the event as an inspiration for the region. He noted the leadership Kuwait demonstrated in co-hosting with the U.S. Department of State and others a first-of-its-kind international gathering of women leaders in science and technology from 21 Middle Eastern and neighboring countries in January 2007 (Ref B). The Ambassador closed with a call to build on these achievements to ensure full and equal rights for women around the world. The op-ed appeared in all six Arabic-language and all three English-language newspapers in Kuwait with a combined circulation of more than 400,000. Private Sector: Women Who Work Hard Are Rewarded -------------- --- ¶3. (U) Also to mark the occasion, the Ambassador hosted a luncheon for ten leading women in the financial sector in Kuwait. Welcoming the guests, the Ambassador noted that the U.S. had long-standing contacts with women in the political sphere in Kuwait, and had recently developed stronger ties with female scientists and engineers by co-hosting the regional science and engineering conference. The Ambassador hoped that informal gatherings such as this lunch would serve as the beginning of a broader dialogue with women in finance. Attendees, representing major banks and investment houses, were unanimous in their view that women in Kuwait's private sector enjoy greater opportunities than in the public sector. They largely discounted the existence of a glass ceiling in Kuwait's private sector, pointing to prominent figures such as Maha Al-Ghunaim (Managing Director of Global Investment House and ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the most powerful 100 women in the world in 2006; she was invited but was unable to attend the lunch) and acting CEO of Gulf Bank Sana Al-Juma. If a woman works hard in Kuwait she can get ahead, they agreed, as women are widely considered to be hard working and easy to manage, versus some of their male peers who are "often unmotivated and lack focus." "If a manager gives a project to a woman, he knows it will get done," said one guest. Most women said there were many women in the senior ranks of their organizations, and they agreed a female bank president in Kuwait was possible in the future, though perhaps not within the next five years. ¶4. (SBU) When asked about equality, one woman noted emphatically that she has something better: seniority. Although there are pay disparities between men and women, most of the women indicated that opportunities for promotion and career progression were good to excellent. (Note: A number of the women who attended the lunch are already well-established in the financial sector and have achieved considerable professional success. End note.) However, some participants cautioned that private sector institutions vary based on their organizational cultures. The women attributed these differences to the ideological leanings of the institution's founder, i.e. conservative or liberal, but not to Islam or broader cultural values. The women observed that while some male executives may be open-minded or liberal in KUWAIT 00000370 002 OF 003 their personal lives, their professional mentality can be more conservative. One participant noted that executives in Islamic financial institutions in particular feel additional pressure to conform to a perceived image of a devout Muslim. This is not a question of religion, several participants cautioned, but of the individual's own orientation. Burnout Not An Issue, Unlike in the U.S. -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Women said burnout in financial sector jobs is generally not an issue in Kuwait. While women may work hard, the hours are much shorter and their support networks greater than those of women in the U.S. financial sector. Attendees noted that in addition to the traditionally shorter working hours -- 8:00am to 2:00pm - most women in Kuwait have domestic staff to take care of their children and the household while they are away. A few guests even expressed sympathy for the plight of women in the U.S., whom they viewed as working unbearably long hours without access to domestic help. "Men Are Easier to Manage Than Women" -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The women agreed that mentoring and networking are important, although hard work is paramount. A number of the management-level attendees seemed to prefer a live and learn approach, believing that more junior colleagues learn best by making their own mistakes. They described the Kuwaiti private sector view of female managers as "more open-minded, proactive, and someone who fights for their subordinates." Ironically, the majority agreed that, in general, men are easier to manage than women. Segregation Impedes Social, Educational Development -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Participants noted that GOK-mandated segregation at some educational institutions continues to impede social development, particularly for young men. This carries over into the office, where young men do not know how to interact with their peers. In academia, female students continue to outperform their male peers in both single-sex and co-ed classes, said one guest, adding that male students actually perform better in co-ed classes, perhaps due to increased competition. Attendees, a number of whom hold degrees from U.S. institutions, also agreed that a U.S. education is highly prized. They remarked, however, that it is sometimes difficult for women to take advantage of American universities because the U.S. is so distant. American-style institutions like the American University of Kuwait are attractive because they offer an American-style education at home, but several women observed that they do not offer the beneficial socialization experience of a university in the U.S. Limited Activity in Political Arena -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The women agreed that they and their female colleagues in the financial sector had limited influence on the political arena in Kuwait and could do more to support women candidates. A number of the women expressed interest in supporting a female candidate but said they were unable to do so during the 2006 parliamentary election because either none ran in their districts, or too many did. It was feast or famine. The Ambassador encouraged the Kuwaiti women to reach out more to women in the political arena, and share their organizational experience as well as provide funding to capable candidates of their choice. Follow-up -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Subsequent to the lunch, the Ambassador mailed to the attendees, as well as a number of women who were unable to attend, information packets containing an overview of women in the U.S. financial sector, profiles of several leading American women in financial services, and contact information for American organizations that promote women in finance. He encouraged the attendees to reach out to deepen or develop contacts with American counterparts. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: KUWAIT 00000370 003 OF 003 http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LeBaron