Sunday, September 18, 2005

Breaking Barriers - First Saudi Woman Runs for Office

(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Slowly and without much fanfare, Saudi women are making breakthroughs in the male-dominated kingdom. About two months ago, it was announced that the first Saudi woman, Hanadi Zakariya Hindi, had received a commercial airline pilot's license. This milestone was not achieved without some controversy as some Saudi men protested that Hindi would be mixing with men without a male guardian.

In another breakthrough, a Saudi businesswoman, Madawi Al-Hassoun, has achieved the distinction of being the first woman to register her candidacy for elected office in the kingdom. Al-Hassoun seeks to be elected to a seat on the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

Madawi Al-Hassoun
Madawi Al-Hassoun

Al-Hassoun has been a leader for women in the Jeddah business community. She has worked as assistant chairwoman for the Business Ladies' Committee which recently was accepted to play a much larger role in the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF). The Forum is a strategic think tank focusing on local, regional, and international economic and social issues. If elected, Al-Hassoun's experience with the ladies' committee and the forum makes her well qualified to step into a position with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Despite the fact that the current JCCI chairman, Ghassan Al-Sulaiman, expects problems and objections to arise from her candidacy, Al-Hassoun is ecstatic. She can be assured that others feel the same thrill.

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