Mick Hartley

A nicely patronising tone to this report in Arab News on women who work (oh yes, work!) in Saudi Arabia – provided of course that they dress respectfully, are protected from any chance meeting with single males, and get picked up from work by their brothers:

Women can be seen working at various venues throughout the Kingdom. Although it may be difficult for some people to stomach, working women are becoming part of the Kingdom’s social fabric. At the Al-Shallal Theme Park on Jeddah’s Corniche, women are employed in huge numbers.

They sit at the ticket office, and once you enter inside women can be seen supervising games, and standing at shops and cafes. All are dressed respectfully in their abayas and some are even veiled.

“Work is not something to be ashamed of,” said Ebtisam, who is in her late twenties and works at the theme park. “As long as women carry themselves respectfully, they can work in public places in a mixed environment, and people will still respect them. I have never been in a situation that made me regret working here. On the contrary, I feel protected and safe,” she said.

Al-Shallal provides a safe and family-like atmosphere for workingwomen, said Hassan Al-Ansari, deputy manager at the theme park. “The women are well looked after by the management as well as their co-workers,” he added.

The number of women applying to work at women-friendly places such as Al-Shallal is increasing.

Al-Ansari said women employees at Al-Shallal undergo training to be able to operate and repair machinery, and deal with health and safety issues in emergency situations. “Women employees need to be well trained and should be able to fulfill their tasks by themselves,” he said.

Speaking about men misbehaving, Amani Kattana, assistant operations and sales manager at the theme park, said, “It is very rare to have such situations as the place is only for families. Single men are not allowed in. Male colleagues do treat working women with respect and the women command respect through their behavior. After all they come to work, and they do appreciate the fact that they have a job and a decent income.”

Employees are required to have finished high school or college. “They work eight hours or more depending on the work load. We start from morning and continue until late evening,” said Kattana.

Working late hours at night does not bother women, said Ebtisam, adding that her brother drops and picks her up from work.

“Women employees need to be well trained and should be able to fulfill their tasks by themselves”. By themselves! Remarkable.