JEDDAH: Women’s participation in national development was the theme of a two-day workshop

Women's role in national development discussed

DETERMINATION: The workshop in progress. (AN photo)

By SHAHEEN NAZAR | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Women's participation in national development was the theme of a two-day workshop that concluded on Sunday at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).

Held under the auspices of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), the workshop at the JCCI's Khadija bint Khuwailid Center brought together Saudi women from a cross-section of society.

Among the topics that were covered were: CV preparation, how to handle an interview, starting up a business and labor laws for women.

MEPI is a US government project which last year launched the two-year Young Women Leaders program at the Lebanese American University in Beirut.

Its aim is to gather community leaders and activists from various Gulf countries to help develop women's rights initiatives in their home communities.

Under the program, five women have been selected from each of the four participating countries, which include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen.

MEPI works with nongovernmental organizations, the private sector and academic institutions as well as governments. The Khadija bint Khuwailid Center is coordinating the program in Saudi Arabia.

Basma Al-Omair, executive director of the center, addressed the first day of the workshop. She conducted a long session on the importance of women's participation in the development of a country. Lawyer Tariq Al-Ibrahim spoke on Saudi labor law.

According to Lana Komsany, one of the five MEPI participants from Saudi Arabia, the participants enjoyed the first day of sessions.

The more interactive second day saw Nadia Al-Amoudi of the Khuwailid Center speaking about a success story.

Komsany conducted a session on how to handle an interview. Entrepreneur Nada Al-Hashmi gave an insight into what an employer expects to see in an interview.

Tala Al-Hejailan, a lawyer and another MEPI volunteer, spoke on how to write CVs.

Komsany and Al-Hejailan were behind the workshop. They said the participants were selected randomly from various walks of life including entrepreneurs and professionals.

Khuwailid Center also sent some of participants. They said another workshop would be conducted in Riyadh later this month.