Women call for separate sections in govt offices

MADINAH — Several citizens are clamoring for separate sections for females in government offices to facilitate unhindered completion of their paperwork, especially for those without male guardians. After businesswomen, the most affected are widows and divorcees who do not have male guardians to do the necessary paperwork on their behalf. Citizens argue that female sections in government offices will open new horizons for their work and will contribute significantly to the reduction of their unemployment. Ghadeer Al-Saleh, an employee for the Centennial Fund in Yanbu, said that having female sections in government departments will save many the trouble of traveling. "At times, females have to visit the government offices repeatedly which costs money and time,” Al-Saleh said. A businesswoman, Jamaal Al-Saadi, said she had no doubt opening sections for females in every government department in each province would facilitate transactions, especially for those who do have male breadwinners in their household to conduct their affairs. "But the process is tied to issues of human resources, the proportion of the population in different regions and provinces. I'm sure that our government will spare no effort in facilitating what best serves the male and female citizens," she said. Umm Ahmed, who works at one of the sectors in Yanbu, said that when she visits the Passports Department in Yanbu to get her fingerprints taken, the room where she had to go was located on the third floor of the men's section. "There was no privacy at all. There was a shabby curtain that was lifted from time to time by men," she said. The manager of Jeddah's Public Library, Ahmad Al-Thagafi, said that creating female sections in government departments is very important and is achievable. "In fact, it will create new opportunities for women's employment. There are jobs that are suitable for women," he said.