Dr. Haifa Jamal Al-Lail, the dean of Effat College in Jeddah.

On the second floor of Effat College, I had the opportunity to talk to an exciting lady with a vision for both Saudi Arabia and its women. In what is, by Saudi standards, a rather unimpressive office, Dr. Haifa Jamal Al-Lail described the tremendous developments that have taken place in the last three generations of Saudi Arabian women.

Her mother’s generation was generally uneducated; chances for education and training were few and far between. “On the other hand, my own generation had a number of opportunities to study abroad at some of the world’s best universities — I myself spent twelve years with my husband in America. The present generation has even more opportunities and, with the emergence of high quality institutions such as Effat College (of which she is dean), things can only get better,” said Dr. Haifa.

A marked improvement indeed, particularly considering the very short time in which these developments have occurred. Why, I wondered, have the developments taken so long to occur at all? I was answered by an exhausted sigh, “We have a problem and it is mixing tradition and religion. Our religion is what makes us and is what we are, and we must never compromise on our ideals. Yet our traditions must adapt and must constantly be improved. Unfortunately the two are mixed here and as such, any moves for improvement or development are seen as turning our backs on our religious values.”

A problem indeed and one that requires much diplomacy — something Dr. Haifa evidently has as I saw when she took a break and dealt very calmly and politely with what seemed a rather irksome caller. “I try my best to show people how we need to develop and bring ourselves in line with the rest of the world and be a world leader, too.”

This approach is also a part of her educational vision; when I ask her what she wishes graduates of Effat College to be, she describes her dream of a young woman who is a global learner. “Previously we were stuck with a set textbook and a syllabus that would have to be exactly memorized and followed. I want my girls to be independent thinkers, active researchers and global learners.”

As she explained later, this produces a woman who is able to use her initiative, act upon it and produce something of value for herself and for her country.

I return to the issue of values and traditions as they seem to be an obstacle to many people.

“Saudis love their religion. It is what they are but we cannot be held back by traditions that are neither religious nor have a place in today’s society. We must constantly review our culture and preserve our religion,” says Dr. Haifa.

Nothing wrong with that, I agreed, but have there been any obstacles to women who hold such views?

“Well occasionally yes — yet women who are diplomatic in their approach and who are able to show their families that what they are doing is a valid aspiration for a woman and is something that will benefit them and their country have always succeeded.”

Just as I was going to ask the next question, I was interrupted by a maid who came in and gave me the opportunity to have a late breakfast with Dr. Haifa. I noticed the uniform the maid wore and it seemed very similar to a nurse’s uniform. Remembering what she had just said, I pointed out to her that it seemed that most women worked in the health sector.

Admittedly yes they do, Dr. Haifa agrees, but with the recent royal decree, there are now no barriers to women’s employment in the Kingdom.

“It’s about time too,” she tells me. “We only have one woman who has reached the second most senior position in a ministry and only a few CEOs.”

This is blamed on a lack of women in high policy-making positions. Being a graduate in public policy and planning, Dr. Haifa knows what it takes to make these changes; planning for the future is first and foremost. The up and coming generations “need to know how to be responsible, how to function as part of their society and the wider world and how to be creative and productive.”

Dr. Haifa is a visionary and during the interview, I was introduced to a collection of ideas that would be more suited to a book on social planning rather than to a young professional woman. To be honest, this took me aback and I was thinking what a rare breed she is so I asked her what she would like to see happen now in our society.

Another sad look from Dr. Haifa as she describes how extended families are not as they used to be. “It’s become the norm for married children to move away from their parents and lose touch with them. Unfortunately people are discovering new lifestyles that seem to convince them that nuclear families are the way forward. It’s a shame because, in Saudi Arabia especially, it is easy to live together with the extended family,” she said.

Well the times are changing here in Saudi Arabia, and a more demanding and aggressive woman has begun to push for a greater role in her society. Yet doesn’t all the talk center around a woman who is totally career-based?

“Oh, not at all — entertainment and social changes have to be made too,” she beams. “We can’t accept things as they are — people need to develop and learn, using all the mediums available to them provided they conform with our beliefs. This isn’t wrong and it isn’t something we should be afraid of doing.”

Change seems to be the buzzword in Dr. Haifa’s office and as I walk around, looking at the various medals and awards she has, I hear her sorting out her travel arrangements for an important meeting in Europe next week. “It’s a program where we are trying to tell people about Saudi Arabia and explain to them our policies and our aspirations.”

I was rather comforted by that. With an ambitious and educated ambassador such as Dr. Haifa, Saudi Arabia is already placing itself on the world map.

The road ahead will be hard and she knows it, but with her trademark smile and diplomatic skills, there is little that will stand in her way.

(Abdurrahman Al-Shayyal is a research student based in Jeddah.)