Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 set ambitious targets for all sectors of the kingdom. But Saudi women are expected to become the main beneficiaries of the reforms, as they go from being largely unseen in public life to playing a driving role in business, government and society.
Since his appointment as crown prince in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman's sweeping reforms allowed women to drive, take up key positions on the state's Shura Council, and work as ambassadors and public servants.
The National spoke to women across the kingdom to reflect on the changes taking place.
"Saudi women have more rights than ever before," Hayat Osman, a young lawyer in Riyadh, told The National.
Looking back on a year of change, The National spoke to women across the kingdom on how life today is different from just a year ago.
Saudi women in the workforce
This year, more women joined the workplace across all sectors and major industries, as well as in leadership and decision-making roles. The rise is in line with expectations given that Saudi women make up 60 per cent of the nation's university graduates.
"You see women everywhere you go. My sister is a dentist, I work in a retail store and my sister works in a carpet store in Al Balad, downtown Jeddah," Zahra Ibrahim, a sales representative in Jeddah, told The National.
“We are all catering to an open society, where we have equal opportunities like our fathers and brothers to realise our dreams, make a living and can be independent – all for the first time. I am grateful to MBS for his positive support, without whom this was not possible until now,” she said, using the common acronym for Prince Mohammed.
Thirteen women were appointed to the Saudi Human Rights Commission in 2020, making up half the seats on the council.
"Never has there been a more promising, more optimistic time to be a young woman in Saudi Arabia than right now," said Princess Reema bint Bandar, the kingdom's ambassador to the US.
“Change is happening all around us and our collective journey will continue until Saudi women are genuinely accepted in every job and sector, so that we never again have to call any Arab woman ‘the first’,” she said.
Salma Al Rashid, who is representing Saudi Arabia this year at the Women 20 working group of the G20, chaired by the kingdom, said discussions were often based on forging a new path for women in society.
“My participation was a vital step in projecting the voices of Saudi Arabia’s women at this global forum.
"The W20 this year allowed us to create a bridge between global and local conversations – that is meaningful and at times challenging – with the different perspectives of various sectors of the community on what matters most to women and how we can ensure women’s economic empowerment,” she said during the summit in Riyadh last month.
In 2020, Saudi Arabia also joined the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which promotes gender equality and female empowerment.
Women’s empowerment through new legislation
Another milestone for Saudi women's empowerment this year came with the right of Saudi women to register the births of their children (previously restricted to the father or other male relative).
Along with other areas where women no longer need a male guardian's approval, they no longer need familial consent to start a business. Saudi women can also find jobs in any sector and there are new employment laws specifically aimed at protecting women from discrimination and abuse.
Saudi women have a greater public presence
Saudi women were also granted the rights to attend and participate in sport, cultural and entertainment events.
The kingdom recently announced the formation of an amateur women's league for the first time. Mariam Alangari, a Saudi football player, said she was thrilled to be a part of this change.
“I used to play abroad but thank God I can play in my own country and will get the chance to be a professional player.”
A work in progress: Vision 2030 and women empowerment
"As an Islamic country we are following laws that give women the power and freedom to do these things on an equitable basis. With Vision 2030, we now know women have a place in the future and we want to empower our society and make the country proud," said Rama Zumai, who heads the corporate communications team for Saudi multinational Nesma Holding.
In addition to her position at Nesma Holding, Ms Zumai is a consultant for the Small Medium Enterprises Authority, where she has been working with women from underprivileged areas over the past few years, offering them various employment and training opportunities.
"There are two ideas – one gives women more rights and the conditions to thrive, when it comes to work, entrepreneurship roles or allowing women to drive and travel; the other supports the approach which believes women can do everything and deserve to be equal. When the Vision was implemented, it unified both these ideas and made them culturally acceptable. Everything has changed," she said.
“Women weren’t allowed to even enter the chamber of commerce, but now that’s changed. The public didn’t give women in leadership roles the confidence they deserved. I experienced this personally.”
Rasha Hefzi, a counsellor in Jeddah city council and owner of Sidra Event Management, said the changes in women’s rights started three years ago.
“Today you can see changes from policymaking to changes in implementation of practices; social engagement activities and women participating in the public sector. Opportunities for businesswomen to have a bigger share in the economy by greater participation, and there are new enterprises including women in sports.
"It is creating a new way of life and that is what Saudi Arabia needed," Ms Hefzi told The National.
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Middle Eastern women feature on the BBC’s most influential list
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 820Nm
Price: Dh683,200
On sale: now
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
The five pillars of Islam
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
HOW TO WATCH
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Brave CF 27 fight card
Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)
Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)
Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)
Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)
Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
