Over the past year, Saudi women have achieved many firsts.
Jood Al Harthi was the first woman to be appointed as political affairs officer at the Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN in New York.
Saudi Arabia employed 34 women in senior positions at Makkah's Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.
The first female recruits graduated from the Armed Forces Women's Cadre Training Centre last September.
Saudi Arabia hosted its first four-nation women’s international friendly football tournament.
And now Saudi women are moving into the tech sector, driving change as they work with AI and immersive technology such as metaverse and virtual reality.
“The progress in the industry has led to new and exciting opportunities for women in tech”, said Elaf Alsalman, a Lead 3D creative technologist at Emtech Lab at PwC Riyadh.
“Fields such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly accessible to women.”
Since his appointment in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's sweeping reforms have allowed women to drive the kingdom's economy and play a key role in its move away from oil to embrace high-tech, creative and other specialised industries.
The Emtech lab team has a youth-driven culture, with creatives, developers and UX designers, working on core technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, AI, blockchain and robotics.
Ms Alsalman's work with young talent to support projects and proposals focuses on creating 3D modules for building prototypes that can solve industry problems and demonstrate the potential of new emerging technologies.
The Emtech Lab's research and development centre works with regional and global tech firms, start-ups and universities to create more localised experiences by creating rapid prototypes for various industries.
“Disruptive innovation is a critical goal for our lab, and for most start-ups appearing all over the kingdom”, Ms Alsalman said.
Women 'shining' in tech world
In January, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Ahmed Al Rajhi, said that Saudi women now comprise 37 per cent of the workforce in the kingdom.
In 2016, women accounted for only 17.7 per cent of the workforce.
In a report by Endeavor Insight, Saudi Arabia had a higher percentage of women working in tech start-up companies than Europe. In the third quarter of 2021, the participation of women in Saudi Arabia in the tech sector was recorded as 28 per cent, more than 10 per cent above the European average rate of 17.5 per cent.
The study also showed that Saudi Arabia has a higher percentage of women in tech start-ups than men.
These women are supported by a growing venture capital industry, attracted to the kingdom by a young consumer market and strong support for start-ups, said Hanaa Almoaibed, research fellow at King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies.
“And women who are willing to take the risk are shining.”
The empowerment of Saudi Arabian women is at the heart of the kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ reform programme with the stated aim of increasing women's participation in the job market from 22 per cent to 30 per cent.
“The landscape has shifted significantly, resulting in more women pursuing careers in the tech industry and an increased representation of women in leadership positions”, said Ms Alsalman.
As a result, the kingdom was able to issue 139,754 new commercial licences to women in 2021.
“Let's not forget that there are many barriers to women in tech across the globe and an enduring gender imbalance in Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths], but industry leaders are adamant that diversity will lead to better products”, Ms Almoaibed told The National.
“As this space opens up and we get to know more role models, the whole world will benefit from a more balanced approach to the role tech plays in our lives.”
After King Salman came to the throne, the government’s scholarships programme underwent further transformations to reflect the kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda. Last year, Prince Mohammed launched a new strategy to restructure the kingdom’s scholarship programme for Saudi students studying abroad.
From providing Stem scholarships to launching technology-focused development programmes and government hackathons, the country has invested heavily in empowering female entrepreneurs and fostering a more diverse and inclusive tech industry.
“In tech, there is generous support for women entrepreneurs from various government entities. You'll see that many local companies, banks and MNCs [multinational corporations] are launching women in tech programmes across the kingdom”, said Ms Almoaibed.
“There is so much momentum.”
Last month, the kingdom hosted the largest tech event in the world, the Leap 2023 conference in Riyadh, where it announced that $24.7 billion would be spent on technology by 2025.
With the trajectory seen of the fast-paced sector of technology and the adoption of AI and the metaverse, this may only be the beginning for the kingdom, and for its women, and the possibilities for growth seem endless.
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
Spec%20sheet
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
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The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
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Read more about the coronavirus
FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
