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Strengthening Women's Skills in Saudi Arabia   
In October 2011, CEDPA was presented with the unique opportunity to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to conduct a leadership and management workshop for women working in non-profit and charitable organizations throughout the Kingdom. Working in partnership with the King Khalid Foundation (KKF) and with funding from both the ExxonMobil Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative and KKF, CEDPA led a two-week workshop adapted from its Global Women in Management program for 28 women leaders. Civil society is a growing sector in Saudi Arabia as more and more charitable organizations develop long term strategic plans and invest in strengthening their management systems, fundraising capacity and staff competencies. KKF seeks to provide professional know how towards a progressive social development in the Kingdom through the funding of a number of diverse developmental programs and projects in the Kingdom. While women in Saudi Arabia outnumber men in higher education, only 15 percent of the Saudi workforce is female. Many of these women are looking for opportunities to develop. The workshop responded to the need for practical skills development and sharing of experiences among women. Emphasizing leadership and management skills, the program aimed to strengthen individual and institutional capacity to design and implement sustainable projects in local communities. Throughout the week, participants explored concepts, tools and applications of situational leadership, emotional intelligence, project management, fundraising and proposal development, and other sessions designed to enhance their leadership and management skills. At the end of the workshop, participants created action plans that they will put into place in the upcoming year. The close personal and professional relationships developed among the women during the workshop will serve as a valuable resource for support and guidance as they implement their plans and continue applying their new skills to their organizations. |
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