The Prime Institution

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EMPOWERMENT KEY: The Khadijah bint Khuwailid Businesswomen Centre in Jeddah is honoured as the Arabian Businesswomen Prime Institution 2008.

As part of its special report on Arabian Businesswomen, ArabianBusiness.com is honouring the Khadijah bint Khuwailid Businesswomen Centre in Jeddah as a prime Arabian Businesswomen Institution.

The centre is a dedicated unit of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) which aims to facilitate and lobby for the removal of obstacles facing Saudi women, in order to truly empower them both economically and socially to become active partners in national development in the kingdom.

Founded in 2002 as female training centre, the unit has grown to become of the most influential women's institutions for trade and business in the Gulf. In 2005, it made history when two of its members, Dr. Lama al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher, became the first women to be elected to office in Saudi Arabia, gaining seats as board members on the JCCI.

As part of this special report, ArabianBusiness.com has recognised Dr. Lama al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher as Arabian Businesswomen, in particular for their continued role on the JCCI's board as well as their presidency and vice-presidency respectively of the centre. In addition, we have exclusively interviewed the chief executive of the Khadijah bint Khuwailid Centre, Dr. Basmah Omair.

The Khadijah bint Khuwailid Centre currently consists of three departments: government files, development projects and customer services.

In the Government Files department, the main aim is to identify governmental obstacles facing women and lobby for their removal.

In the Development Projects department, the main aim is to work with national and international entities to conduct research on women’s employment and entrepreneurship. Some of these previous works include "Private Sector Experiences in Hiring Female Employees in Jeddah, 2007" and “From charity to development: An Institutional Study of A Charity Organization in Jeddah”, with current work research projects looking at the administration of a national businesswomen survey designed to highlight the extent of businesswomen's activities, their areas of operation, opportunities for growth, and the obstacles they face in starting and managing a business. This department also organises lectures, workshops, and public presentation to raise awareness about key issues related to women's legal and Islamic rights.

The third department is the customer services department which aims to provide useful information for businesswomen to better run their commercial projects.

In March 2007, the unit participated in the Saudi Women Forum held under the partronage of HRH Princess Adelah bint Abdullah bin Abdulaziz AlSaud.

The aim of the Saudi Women Forum was to highlight the contribution of Saudi women to national development as well as to develop effective regulations to help allow women to contribute economically. The Khadijah bint Khuwailid Centre has since been lobbying the Saudi government with regards the following recommendations, all of which are currently in development:

1. The establishment of a Supreme Council that reports directly to King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques with the aim to firstly, launch socio-economic programs that evaluate the recommendations of major think tanks across the country, including the National Dialogue meetings, and to put them into action; and secondly, to coordinate and follow up with Ministries to guarantee the implementation of the Royal Decrees issued by the Council of Ministers.

2. Ensuring that women are included in planning and decision-making processes at all stages, as members of the Shura Council and the Council of Ministers, in order to guarantee women's effective participation in national development.

3. Defining the Islamic laws and principles regulating women's work, based on a moderate interpretation of Islam that distinguishes between religious doctrine and cultural traditions; and to update current regulations and policies to reflect these moderate interpretations.

4. Requesting that the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) make it a priority to prepare and train a Saudi labour force capable of satisfying the demand for competent and internationally competitive laborers to take up various jobs in the new investment cities that are being established in Saudi Arabia.

5. Establishing at the Khadijah bint Khuwailid Centre a research unit — at the level of a think tank — that studies women's issues and follows up with them locally and internationally.

6. Re-evaluating the Saudi education system and reassess teachers' qualifications, using international standards of education and assessment carried out by an independent third party.

7. Developing the role of welfare institutions from charitable caretakers to productive centres that help needy families find the means to support themselves.

The special report Arabian Businesswomen 2008 - Celebrating Excellence aims to celebrate the achievements of women in commerce and trade in the region and globally. Click here to view more.

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