US consulate honours women journalists in Jeddah

The US Consulate General in Jeddah honoured distinguished Saudi women journalists and broadcasters, Arab News daily reported. The event, organised on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, was attended by Consul General Thomas Duffy and other American officials interested in media challenges and freedom of speech, the Saudi Arabian daily reported. General Manager of the Saudi children's channel Ajyal Sana Mumina, the first woman to hold this position in Saudi Arabia, spoke about the challenges she encountered when she first joined the media 28 years ago. "Women like (us) actually paved the way for young women journalists to come. We now see more women seeking to join the media," she told the gathering. Mumina, who pointed out that women in the media do not receive much recognition locally, said that she did not want to move to another privately owned media establishment despite the offers she received. "I have a message that I want to convey: We have been gradually doing something for women," she said. "We have educated them through TV to take care of their health and children." The absence of recognition during the past years made her "feel sorry" for herself, Mumina added.