VZCZCXRO8813
RR RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR RUEHROV
DE RUEHJI #0422/01 3081456
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 041456Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1586
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 8570
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0151
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000422 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, DRL, EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2019 
TAGS: ECON KWMN PGOV SA SOCI
SUBJECT: COMBATING POVERTY THROUGH "PRODUCTIVE FAMILIES": A 
SAUDI EFFORT TO PUT WOMEN TO WORK (AT HOME) 
 
REF: A. 09JEDDAH0050 
     ¶B. 09JEDDAH0132 
 
JEDDAH 00000422  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reason 
s 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
Summary and comment 
-------------------- 
 
¶1. (C) On October 23-24 the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry (JCCI) in collaboration with four ministries hosted 
a two-day forum on "Productive Families".  The forum -- 
organized by one of the JCCI's lameduck female board members 
-- was originally intended to package the idea of women 
working in a way that would not threaten religious 
conservatives, female employees of the JCCI told us several 
months ago.  But the actual sessions -- with the exception of 
frank comments from former JCCI Chairman Saleh Al-Turki -- 
avoided discussion of expanding employment opportunities for 
professional women and focused instead on the production of 
handicrafts by home-based businesses.  The initiative -- 
presented as a way to address poverty and unemployment and 
strengthen the Saudi economy -- seems unlikely to achieve 
these goals.  End summary and comment. 
 
 
From consumers to producers 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The two-day "Productive Families Forum" sponsored by 
the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in 
conjunction with the Makkah governor and ministries of 
Education, Social Affairs, Labor, and Commerce focused on 
combating poverty and increasing family productivity by 
helping men and women start small businesses -- especially 
for handicrafts -- from the home.  Speakers stressed the need 
to transform Saudi families from consumers to producers, from 
zakat-receivers to zakat-payers.  Panelists included 
President for the Saudi Commission for Tourism and 
Antiquities Prince Sultan bin Salman, who argued that 
developing tourism, especially historic and cultural tourism 
in small towns, could boost the market for crafts. 
 
 
Not quite a vehicle to promote women entering the laborforce 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Several months ago, female employees of the JCCI, as 
well as the director of a leading charity that participated 
in the event, the Abdulatif Jamil Fund, told PolOffs that the 
forum was intended as a vehicle to promote Saudi women 
entering the workforce.  The idea was to use inoffensive 
terminology such as "productive families" and stress the 
family unit contributing to the national economy to head off 
religious conservatives' objections to women working.  The 
actual program -- coordinated by an outgoing female JCCI 
boardmember -- instead focused on the small-scale production 
of handicrafts by home-based family businesses.  An exhibit 
adjacent to the event hall showcased the handicrafts of Saudi 
women, most of whom spoke English. 
 
 
Frank comments from ousted JCCI Chairman 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Only one speaker directly and forcefully called for 
women's entry into the workforce -- former JCCI chairman (and 
President of NESMA Holding Company) Saleh Al-Turki, who was 
ousted by Minister of Commerce and Industry Alireza early 
this year (reftels).  As JCCI Chairman, Al-Turki supported a 
variety of initiatives to promote women working both at the 
JCCI and elsewhere.  Al-Turki began by observing that there 
is significant poverty in the Kingdom.  The government spends 
millions of riyals educating women but then they are barred 
from working.  Only 5% of Saudi women are in the labor force 
-- a remarkably low rate compared with other nations, 
including GCC countries like Kuwait and the UAE.  All members 
of a family -- including women -- have a right to work, 
Al-Turki concluded to enthusiastic applause from the women's 
section. 
 
 
JEDDAH 00000422  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
Resentment of foreign workers 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Throughout the forum both presenters and audience 
members complained about foreign workers in the Kingdom.  One 
panelist recalled that during his childhood all craftsmen 
were Saudi.  Saleh Al-Turki bluntly countered that Saudis 
cannot find work because they are not skilled enough for the 
available jobs.  (Note: Al-Turki's own company, NESMA, 
employs some 22,000, 75% of whom are laborers. Only 10%, on 
the management side, are Saudi nationals.  End note.) 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. (C) The forum represents an admirable effort to reduce 
poverty and unemployment by encouraging Saudis -- especially 
women -- to be productive and earn money.  While this 
initiative may provide training programs and subsidies for 
handicrafts production -- which may appeal to some women 
looking to supplement their families' incomes while working 
flexible hours from home -- it is unclear how these products 
will be marketed and sold.  Several participants noted that 
e-commerce is not well established in the Kingdom, and 
internet penetration, remains relatively low.  There is no 
real sign that this initiative will propel women into higher 
societal roles any time soon. The focus of the Productive 
Families Forum, along with the clear gender separation of the 
event, underlines the difficulty in changing the thinking of 
conservative Saudis toward opening professions to women and 
increasing women's participation in the workforce. End 
comment. 
QUINN