Author Archives: Ahmed

Husein Shubukshi wrote a good column today. He say…

Husein Shubukshi wrote a good column today. He says, if the government said the absence of women from the municipal elections was due to technical and logistical problems, and they are not against the principal of women’s participating in elections, they should take an “important and rational” decision by choosing women to be included in the other half of the municipal councils that will be installed by the government.

The directive of the Labor Minister, Dr. Ghazi Al-…

The directive of the Labor Minister, Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, that all employees in shops selling women’s lingerie and clothing should be Saudi women is producing some debates around here. Of course, this decision, like any other decision, has its disadvantages. Arab News calls this, a “Solution with problems.” The problems include late working hours, and “finding girls in conservative towns such as Onaiza and Buraidah, who are not ashamed to work as saleswomen,” said a human resources employee at the company that operates the well-known Body Shop stores. I think we can get over such problems.

However, I was amazed by the statement of a young salesman. He says:

“Why didn’t they let women take part in the elections? Why aren’t they letting them drive? Let’s be honest — they didn’t and they don’t because it’s all about Saudi women being out in the open, in public. People don’t want it, the culture won’t accept it so what’s the difference between letting women drive or having them working in shops that are on the public streets?”

Is this true? People don’t want Saudi women to be out in the open? Well, I don’t think so. But what about you Saudi girls? What do you think? Have your say.