CellA platform connects professional Saudi women

[al-Hasani]

JEDDAH: HABIB SHAIKH
Published — Monday 9 September 2013
Last Update 9 September 2013 5:22 pm

CellA, a platform for Saudi professional women, now has more than 2,000 members in Jeddah, Riyadh and Alkhobar and is set to expand to other Saudi cities and the GCC in the future.
CellA provides members with three types of services. Networking events provide women with the opportunity to meet each other and exchange views on professional topics. Speakers such as Thoraya Obaid, Lama Al-Suleiman or Nahed Al-Taher talk about their achievements and recount success stories.
CellA also organizes workshops on how to network, negotiate and improve other skills that women in the professional arena might lack. “We bring them the best from abroad and the Kingdom to provide them with skills and train them,” said co-founder Dina Madani.
The third service is the mentorship program for students and young professionals.
“Thoraya Obaid and Nahed Al-Taher have expressed their interest in being mentors,” said Madani.
Madani is a graduate in international relations and diplomacy. She is a political affairs officer specializing in issues of minority rights. "The position of women within Saudi society has drastically shifted in the past 10 years," says Madani.
“Women are now much more engaged and active in society. They are present in many job categories, including the Shoura Council. They also contest JCCI board elections. There have been great developments, but there is also room for much more,” she said.
“Categories are broken down into government, the private sector and civil society. We have to educate all three for women to have a holistic and active role in society. Everyone has a role to play. Even women themselves need to be educated,” she added.
As for young Saudis, she says that they have lot of responsibility, but also many opportunities. “Society sees them as part of the solution and an asset. They have a lot of energy, qualifications, education and exposure,” she says.
They might, however, lack awareness of the need to be proactive. “Our youth needs to be encouraged to shift from being opportunity-seekers to opportunity makers. They should not only look for jobs but create them. The government has to provide opportunities to start a business and the private sector has to invest more in entrepreneurship skills and training,” she said.
Born in Marbella, Spain, where she spent 10 years, Madani works with the department of Muslim minorities and communities at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
She said the department of Muslim minorities holds and facilitates symposiums in different regions. For example, a symposium was recently held in Mozambique for South East Africa, in Seoul for Eastern Asia and in Warsaw for Central and Eastern Europe. “We try to bring the communities together, talk to one another and identify their challenges. That way, we can try to help them,” she said.
“It is very important for every woman and youth in Saudi Arabia to not only fulfill their duty, but to go beyond,” she said, adding, “There is a lot of young talent that is going to waste and this is very sad. We have to nourish Saudi talent. I am very optimistic about the future. I see that women can play a very big role and I want to contribute to society.”