The Chairwoman of Jeddah Literary Club's Women's Committee has said she is not happy with recently introduced regulations permitting female membership, and instead wants a quota system to “make up for years of marginalization”. Fatima Elyas said that although the new rules, announced ten days ago by the Ministry of Culture and Information, allow women to be elected to the board of directors, the real challenge was to overcome a mentality that has seen “women left on the sidelines for years”. “Although male intellectuals have been promoting women's rights and their abilities to allow them to run for election to literary club boards and even the chairs of boards, when it came down to it would they actually vote for them or instead follow the tradition of marginalization?” Elyas wondered. “Personally, I am not optimistic.” According to Elyas, the lack of a clear article in the new rules could prevent women from nominating themselves for election, thereby leaving the issue in the hands of “male interpretations of the rules.” “This has happened in neighboring countries, because of the fear of women's presence and the fear of mixing of sexes,” she said. “The solution, in my opinion, is a quota system by which the ministry orders clubs to have women members on their boards, thereby not leaving the issue subject to social circumstances and awareness which are stagnant when it comes to anything related to women and their involvement in decision-making.” Saudi Gazette reported on June 15 that the Minister of Culture and Information, Abdul Aziz Khoja, had approved changes to regulations governing literary clubs to open membership to women and foreigners. The changes classify membership into three categories: “working members”, who are Saudis of both sexes; “participants” who are non-Saudis of both sexes, and “honorary membership” which is bestowed on any person of the club's choosing. Age and academic limitations placed on membership were also altered during the changes, with members now required to be over the age of 18, hold a university bachelor's degree, and to have at least two published works in their name. Minister Khoja said the changes would “give the opportunity for non-Saudi female and male intellectuals to join the literary clubs as participant members”.
