ONCE the bustling seaport of Jeddah was a place where only men worked. However, things have changed. Nora Kashlan, a single Saudi woman, works as a planner and controller for the Gate of the Red Sea Company at Jeddah's busy port. On graduation, Nora, who holds a BA in management from King Abdulaziz University, decided to be a maverick and work in a profession where she would gain unique experience. “I wanted to work somewhere challenging, somewhere different, a place where Saudi women tended not to work,” said Kashlan. She began life at the port three years ago as a data-inputter; within six months she was promoted and became a ships' controller. “I was the first Saudi woman to work here and within a few months I was promoted to become a ships' planner and controller. Once I had passed this stage, I was promoted to monitor and plan containers in the logistics department,” she said. According to Kashlan's twin sister, Sarah, education has been something that their family has always stressed as a way of bettering their future. “I have always supported her and been proud of her work. I encouraged her to do what she wants. We are from an educated family and, thankfully, because of my parents' support we have been successful in the work we do. My mother and father have both supported us and are proud of what we do,” she added. Nora is a firm believer in gender equality, and seeks to change society's perception of women. As a result, she is mentoring other women who are now working at the port. “They are being trained to work in the port in my stead. I was the pioneer in this. There is a girl who has taken my position and who I trained,” she added. Despite all of Kashlan's optimism, many people do not understand the nature of her work and are surprised when they see her in jacket and hard hat at the port. “There was a funny situation when a client called then hung up when he heard me speak. He thought he had dialed the wrong number. He thought he might have telephoned someone's home,” she added. Some men find Kashlan's line of work strange. “Her job is strange as it is an area in which women don't generally work. This is a sector that is usually filled with men,” said Ahmad Abdulsalam, a private company employee. “I think working here is challenging for women. Our society looks down at women who may work in a job like this. However, we see that these women are very efficient in what they do,” he added. Some men who work at the port feel threatened by feminine competition. However, there are several others who say, having seen Kashlan, their own perceptions about women working at the port have changed. “Frankly speaking, I was against women working at the port in the beginning. However, noticing the seriousness of some of these girls and their dedication to work changed my views. I have found that women perform better than men at times and provide better outcomes,” said Ayman Al-Maliki, director of planning and a port controller. “Nora is the most active girl in our company and she is capable of changing and adapting herself to situations,” he added. Waad Masood, one of Kashlan's colleagues, described her as smart and a fast learner. “It's because of her passion to succeed … because of this she is able to adapt to the environment and is an asset in developing the company in different areas,” he said. Suha Nashar, a HR analyst, feels apprehensive about women working at the port. “I do not disagree or agree with women working here. However, it is better for women not to work at the port, as it is mainly a man's job. It's tough working in a port and our physique is not fit for that,” she said.
