RIYADH: Sayidaty magazine has played a critical role in empowering women for four decades, according to the publication’s Editor-in-Chief Lama Al-Shethry.
Al-Shethry, who also serves as chief editor for Al Jamila magazine and is a board member of the Saudi Journalists Association, made the comments during a recent wide-ranging interview on The Mayman Show by Arab News.
“I believe that throughout more than four decades now Sayidaty has played a major role in empowering women in different eras,” she said.
Al-Shethry added: “Fifteen years ago, Sayidaty launched a big campaign for under-age marriage, and it was on a regional level where key opinion leaders were part of this campaign: authors, intellectuals, royal members, ministers.
“And they were able to stop, actually five under-age marriages, in Saudi, Egypt and Yemen back then.”
She said that this year the publication is championing local productions include the film “Noura” and its “talented” 17-year-old star Maria Bahrawi.
“We were with her in Cannes because the movie, of course, is the first Saudi movie to participate in Cannes,” said Al-Shethry.
She said the two examples show that Sayidaty continues to play the same role of empowerment.
“We are targeting the same audience, same region, same people, but different eras. But it’s the same role. Obviously now, with Vision 2030, obviously this is the time where you put your hand together with young talents.
“Having women rights I think we crossed a really milestone in that. And now is the time to focus on how to support talents and how to make them grow.
Al-Shethry said she has helped to create digital content in Arabic. This resulted in Sayidaty making it onto Forbes’ 2021 top-five most-visited sites in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In addition, she is also the co-founder, with her friend Hala Al-Jurayed, of Bintnet Network, the first Arabic online magazine providing female-centered lifestyle content.
“There was no digital content in Arabic. There was a gap in that and we thought why not start a website. Part of it is a forum where people have this small community of members, discuss things, talk on a daily basis, to chat. And on the other side of it, there is this content that is related to lifestyle, travel and decor, fashion, jewelry,” she said.
Al-Shethry said she did not get into the digital space with a clear business plan but it turned out to be “really successful.” She was able to adapt to various changes in journalism, including the advent of social media.
Al-Shethry said she was “honored” to be elected to the board of the Saudi Journalists Association with 12 colleagues, alongside Chairman Adhwan Al-Ahmari and Vice Chairman Faisal J. Abbas, who is Arab News’ editor-in-chief.
She said her predecessors in the media had built a solid foundation for the current generation of leaders to develop the industry in Saudi Arabia. “So great things are about to come for sure.”
