Major social and economic transformations are taking place in Saudi Arabia as it shifts away from oil dependency and moves towards a knowledge-based economy and resource employment.
The Kingdom’s march towards more wellness and prosperity is being underpinned by work systems for both Saudi men and women and an increased social awareness around the importance of the role played by women in family and society.
Establishing their presence across various lines of work, Saudi women have risen to higher positions both locally and internationally after proving their skill and expertise and having gained advanced qualifications in scientific and specialized fields:
- Since 2013, the number of women working in Saudi diplomatic cables increased by 150%. Three female ambassadors have been appointed.
- Women make up 50% of the members of the Saudi Human Rights Commission Council.
- Women's participation in municipal elections stands at 81%.
- Women own 30% of SMEs in Saudi Arabia.
- 20% of members of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council are women.
- Women participation in the government sector amounted to 40%.
- Women participation in development and charity (NGO) sectors reached 69%.
- In the Saudi private sector, women participation stands at 30%, but trailblazing females have been appointed to key positions. The chair of the Saudi Arabian stock exchange (Tadawul), the largest stock market in the Middle East, is a Saudi woman.
Saudi women have also made remarkable advances on an international level:
- Saudi women have joined teaching staff in international universities such as Harvard and John Hopkins.
- A Saudi woman served as Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
- A Saudi woman held the rank of UN Under-Secretary General.
- A Saudi woman was appointed as Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Saudi women have also held important positions in regional organizations and committees like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
As a result of progress made in women empowerment, Riyadh was named as the capital of Arab women for 2020 under the slogan “Women Empowerment in Social Development.”
More so, Saudi Arabia has been ranked the Top Reformer and the Top Improver among 190 countries in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law (WBL) 2020 report.
Moving forward, the sky is the limit for the ambitions of Saudi women.
Amal Yahya Al-Moallimi is the Saudi ambassador to Norway.
