Sunday, Sep 03, 2017

Manama: The decision to deploy women during the Haj season in Makkah was welcomed by social media users as “wise and sensible.”

Women were for the first time deployed to inspect shops in Makkah during the Haj season.

Pictures and a video were posted by the Ministry of Commerce and Investments on its Twitter account showing women inspectors checking details in shops inside a mall to ensure their full compliance with the rules and regulations.

The men teams were deployed mainly in open areas under the scorching heat in some areas of Makkah and Madinah “intensifying control and inspection on shops, booths, refrigerated vehicles and patrol trucks loaded with food supplies and commodities and ensuring their availability, validity, quality and the suitability of the prices for pilgrims,” the ministry said.

“We are steadily moving ahead with decisions to empower women economically, without much noise and with great confidence,” Visitor posted.

Another user, under the moniker of Patriot, said that “such decisions are applauded as they are helping Saudi women take up jobs and support themselves economically.”

“It is a positive step towards increasing the number of Saudis with jobs and reduce reliance on foreigners,” Patriot said.

For Al Batar, the initiative deserved to be supported.

“This is a beautiful and remarkable initiative and the Ministry of Commerce and Investment deserves the greatest appreciation. We pray to God to protect our women and help them succeed.”

Another user said she was looking forward to the ministry keeping the move beyond Haj and to seeing other ministries giving greater opportunities for women.

“We want all public sectors to participate in empowering women economically, and this should not be confined to the commerce ministry,” the user posted.

“We want to improve the views towards women and to feel proud with their achievements.”

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief

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