JEDDAH — Independence was a foreign concept to women in the Kingdom until the mid-1990s, when female members of Saudi society started exuding confidence. The new generation of Saudi women enjoys greater freedom compared to previous generations, especially in terms of financial independence. Women might be under the guardianship of men and in the past had to have all their affairs handled by men, but that is not the case any longer as the newer generation is less dependent and seeks career paths contributing to the Kingdom's development. Divorce rates have accelerated in the past few years but a woman's professional life was rarely the reason. Women have been found to be more accepting of their single life, preferring it to the effort needed for marriage. According to most women, being single and living with dignity and independence is better than a subdued marriage life. Marriage is and always will be a necessity to continue the cycle of life but if not governed by the right mechanisms it just leads to chaos, said marriage counselor Hayam Fathallah. A Saudi Gazette survey of 1,000 women in the age group of 35 to 45 revealed 40 percent were stay-at-home mothers and housewives, while 35 percent were working mothers. Eleven percent were divorcees and 14 percent never married. Another survey conducted on 1,000 Saudi women between the ages of 23 to 35 revealed 54 percent of respondents were single women who are financially independent, while 41 percent were working mothers and wives. Only 5 percent were stay-at-home mothers. Women were never confident enough in the past, said Rola Azzoni, an internationally renowned fashion designer who is happy that females in Saudi Arabia are more respected, motivated and have achieved more than expected. Like anywhere else, women are capable and have what it takes but some men still fear giving them full control. Yet most have proven they do not need men's permission to thrive and succeed. Financial analyst Alia Shayef said: "We were created to take care of our families but times have changed and so have families. “We need to have careers and independence and our economy needs that as well." Being single might be a fear for families who have daughters, but women no longer find marriage a necessity. Social demographic expert Kamel Farhan said: "A parent's world would crumble at the thought of their daughter being single beyond 23 but families today have seen enough to know marriage is natural but not a necessity to live. “A man will always be the provider of his family but women who work can also contribute to the family. “Religion might have given sole responsibility to the man, but as demanding as life has become the need for a little contribution from women is not a problem.” According to Farhan, women today cannot afford to be stay-at-home mothers or housewives due to demographic changes. "They will feel depressed because everyone is out and about gaining knowledge and experience while they aren't doing much." In the past that was not the case because the media only portrayed women in the West as having careers. Media and technology have a large impact on social development and mindsets, according to media branding consultant Raya Abdulshakor. She added: “They are capable of changing ideologies, interests and motivate different actions. “We learn, grow and change because of what the media delivers. “For better or worse, change is inevitable.”
