The Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura) held a reception in Riyadh yesterday in honor of

those members who have assumed ministerial posts or taken up important positions, and to

welcome new members to the council. On behalf of the outgoing members, Minister of Labor

and Social Affairs Dr.Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Namlah declared the Shura Council to be indeed an

institution of learning that graduates its members with expertise in many matters, saying

they would utilize experiences gained in the council in assuming their new responsibilities

and missions.   On behalf of the new members, Dr. Bandar Hajjar expressed gratitude to

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz for his trust in selecting them.

In a press statement after the function, Shura Chairman Shaikh Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Bin

Jubair stressed that the issues discussed in the council are ones that need time for

analysis, expert opinion, consultation, and exploration of viewpoints.  Concerning the role

of women in society, he stated that there is nothing to prevent women from attending the

sessions of the Shura Council provided that customs, traditions, and religious principles

are preserved.  He declared that in society, women are partners with men, and have rights

and duties like them, although attention should be paid to the differences clearly

delineated in Shariah [Islamic Law]. He added that women receive experience and education

in order that they may benefit society, and when there is a reason to have a woman’s

opinion on any matter whether related to women’s issues or not, there is absolutely nothing

that prevents the Shura Council from seeking her advice.
Today, the Shura Council held a regular meeting, which recommended that the proposed

projects for privatization should be scheduled in a specific plan. It also called for

further development of industrial cities, and for vocational training and technical

education in order to prepare young people for employment.  The council also reviewed a

report submitted by the economic affairs committee on implementation of the projects of the

Sixth Development Plan, and a report on the strategy of the nation's urban development

presented by the services and utilities committee.

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