Vision 2030 puts Saudi women in the driver’s seat

Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar speaks at an event. (Supplied)
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Updated 08 March 2021
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Vision 2030 puts Saudi women in the driver’s seat

  • The new goals set on the horizon are leadership, direction and making an impact on the future

RIYADH: As we mark International Women’s Day, we see the new highs Saudi women have soared to since the launch of Vision 2030 in the Kingdom.
Reforms have changed the narrative surrounding women’s empowerment from inclusivity and equality to notability and distinction. Women’s accomplishments as part of Vision 2030 have set the stage for the further success and achievement of young female leaders in the Kingdom.
The goals of Saudi women are no longer equality or equal opportunity, but rather surpassing their counterparts in ideology, accomplishments and innovation across all sectors. In doing so, they have paved the way for a young and determined generation of future female leaders. These innovative accomplishments are all due to the stepping stones laid out by Vision 2030’s extensive social reforms for women.
Now, Saudi women are ambassadors, general managers, directors of private entities, government spokespersons and more. Their voices are now heard wide and clear across the world.
As of February 2021, women are earning ranks in the Kingdom’s armed forces and holding positions of leadership, including as sergeants commanding teams of soldiers in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defense, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force and Armed Forces Medical Services.
It is simply no longer the aim of Saudi women to hope for inclusivity in society and the workplace. The new goals set on the horizon are leadership, direction and making an impact on the future of the Kingdom, whether through financial growth, social reform, or paving the way for new generations of women to succeed.
Vision 2030’s initiatives and reforms have not only affected the careers of women, but also their social lives — amplifying voices that were not always able to be heard. Legal reforms have been amended by Vision 2030 to ensure the rights of divorced women. An alimony fund was created to support women and their children during court proceedings, and women are now able to enter judicial departments independently without the past restriction of having a guardian present. In the past, judgments meant women had to return back to their homes without any objections, but since Vision 2030, these regulations are a literal thing of the past — a historic blimp in the bright future ahead.
It is no exaggeration to say that when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was appointed in his position in 2017, promises were made and delivered.
Women are involved in the workforce, driving on the roads and are more independent, particularly with the relaxing of the guardianship law last year. Tools such as the sexual harassment law were put in place to ensure their safety, and they found complete support from the government in facilitating their ambitions, including being appointed to high positions.
In July 2020, under a royal decree by King Salman, 13 women were appointed to serve on the Saudi Human Rights Commission, making half of the commission female. This decision gave women a louder voice and a foundation through which to make an impact in the Kingdom.
Women are now a driving force in growing the Kingdom’s alternative economic resources, and over the past decade there has been a surge in the number of female entrepreneurs, business owners and CEOs.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Saudi women are now ambassadors, general managers, directors of private entities, government spokespersons and more.

• As of February 2021, women are earning ranks in the Kingdom’s armed forces and holding positions of leadership.

• An alimony fund was created to support women and their children during court proceedings.

• Women are now able to enter judicial departments independently without the past restriction of having a guardian present.

• In July 2020, under a royal decree by King Salman, 13 women were appointed to serve on the Saudi Human Rights Commission.

Dr. Maliha Hashmi, executive director for the health and wellbeing sector of the NEOM megacity project, is a young female health leader in the region. She said that Vision 2030 has created the opportunity for women to build new roles and transform older expectations in a positive way.
“Through Vision 2030, social acceptance, and most of all, the continuous support of the government, we’ll see a balanced leadership, in both the private and public sectors, represented by both men and women. Plus, I’m very optimistic that we’ll witness in the near future more women in ministerial and international representation,” she said.
“Under the visionary leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has taken a giant step forward in empowering its women. While the world knows and talks about women drivers on Saudi roads, there’s more to this socio-economic and cultural change than meets the eye,” Hashmi, a Harvard doctorate degree holder, told Arab News.
“More high-tech startups can now be owned by women. There are now female diplomats in the GCC. I am super excited that this started in Saudi Arabia with Princess Reema bint Bandar as the first Saudi female ambassador. I am also honored to represent NEOM as one of its leading female executives. I hope this passion within me for this amazing project is contagious and is an encouragement for other young women to join, and that I can serve as a great role model for them.”
Vision 2030 has changed the dynamic of the Kingdom and not only opened it to the world, but also to many Saudis.
Women from the Kingdom are now seen traveling around the world and exploring new cultures without the obligatory presence of a male guardian, due to a decree allowing women to obtain their own passports and travel over the age of 21 without a male guardian.
Vision 2030 gave women the right to drive, planting the seeds that led to the emergence of the first professional female racing driver, Reema Al-Juffali. The reforms also created equal opportunity in science, and pushed women scientists into the limelight, such as Nouf Al-Numair, a “DNA decoder” who researches the early detection of emerging diseases through gene mutation. This is only a glimpse into the world of achievements female leaders in Saudi Arabia have created as a result of empowerment in the Kingdom.
It is evident that the fast changes led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have also had a global impact. For the second year in a row, the “Women, Business and the Law 2021” report by the World Bank Group listed Saudi Arabia as one of the top countries for economic inclusion and women’s reform.
One woman who has benefited from the changes is Noura Al-Dossary. Orphaned at a young age and divorced with one daughter, Al-Dossary was in a predicament. Her sister and her brother-in-law helped her, but she soon realized she had to support both herself and her daughter financially.
“Vision 2030 opened doors for me that I thought were bolted shut,” she told Arab News. Coming from a conservative background, and with limited education, she ventured into various workplaces, and soon found work at a small college. However, she was unsatisfied with the pay, the work atmosphere and the lack of insurance and benefits. But an opportunity soon presented itself in a laundry department at a five-star hotel.
She was attentive to detail, eager to learn and grateful for the opportunity. “I was exposed to a different world. I met people from diverse nationalities, mixed with the opposite gender and quickly learned English on the job — something I never dreamed of.”
Al-Dossary’s workplace enrolled her in courses to not only further her career, but also her character. “I felt invested in it,” she said, a sentiment that many Saudi women share. “People tell me: ‘Oh, but you work in laundry.’ But let me tell you something: I’m proud of myself.”
There are many women like Al-Dossary who have succeeded in their own right. They may not appear in the headlines, but they are a vital part of Saudi society.
“I’m able to financially support my family, have insurance and benefits, and I bought a home,” said Al-Dossary. “None of this would have been possible without Vision 2030. I am independent and I finally found the support I needed to realize my dreams.”

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How sustainable food producers are shaping the future of agriculture in Saudi Arabia

Updated 20 December 2024
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How sustainable food producers are shaping the future of agriculture in Saudi Arabia

  • Topian, a NEOM subsidiary, plans to transform food production and consumption with sustainable and innovative solutions
  • KAUST’s Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security aims to address challenges in resource efficiency, crop improvement, and biosystems

RIYADH: Achieving food security and sustainability is a top priority for Saudi Arabia as it works toward building a more inclusive economy. The Kingdom aims to accomplish this by boosting domestic production and investing in international supply chains to secure key commodities that are unavailable locally.

Strategic transformations as well as enhanced international cooperation are both essential in efforts to address global food insecurity, Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Saudi Arabia’s minister of environment, water and agriculture, said at the recent meeting of G20 agriculture ministers in Brazil.

“There is a pressing need to adopt a long-term transformation for food security and nutrition,” he told decision-makers on the second day of the conference.

“This underscores the need to intensify our efforts and strengthen collaboration to develop pragmatic solutions for building sustainable, healthy and inclusive food systems.”

The G20 agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture ministers met on Sept. 12-13 in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, to discuss strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems across economic, social and environmental dimensions. These sectors are key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Increased efforts to boost Saudi Arabia’s food production resulted in the country announcing in September 2023 that it had achieved self-sufficiency in fresh dairy products and eggs, with surpluses available for export.

In addition, the Kingdom has significantly increased domestic production of various crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and onions, as well as red meat.



This progress comes from increased efforts to boost domestic food production by involving all stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society. One notable company is Topian, which was launched by NEOM in 2023.

Topian aims to redefine food production, distribution, and consumption by creating sustainable, innovative solutions in five key areas: climate-proof agriculture, regenerative aquaculture, novel foods, personalized nutrition, and sustainable food supply and environmental, social and governance.

Founded with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Topian aligns with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification. The company is leading efforts to ensure food security, combat climate change, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

“As a wholly owned subsidiary of NEOM, Topian is fully aligned with NEOM’s commitment to providing high-quality food products to the market, and promoting food security and sustainability, while contributing to the Kingdom’s self-sufficiency objectives and long-term economic goals,” said Juan Carlos Motamayor, the company’s CEO.

Opinion

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“Topian is leading the food-security conversation to create a resilient food supply in line with the Saudi Green Initiative and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“We are not only committing to shaping a transformative global food system, but also to setting a global benchmark by pioneering new technologies and innovative solutions to overcome food-related challenges and create a more secure, sustainable and prosperous future for all.”

Topian has formed several local and international strategic partnerships with organizations committed to reshaping the future of food.

These agreements include collaborations with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Tabuk University, Tabuk Fish Company, BlueNalu, Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects, and Cargill.



Through these partnerships, it aims to drive research and development, leveraging expertise to create innovative and sustainable food-production methods.

The company is also committed to the NEOM CARE partnership, which focuses on educational initiatives to promote local sustainable gastronomy and develop Saudi talent through training opportunities and chef camps.

Another key Saudi initiative aimed at achieving food security is the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security.

Founded by KAUST in 2024, the center focuses on the advancement of technology-driven solutions to help enhance sustainable food production, particularly in arid environments. Its primary goal is to translate research into practical applications that minimize the environmental impact of food systems.

The center is led by Mark Tester, an expert in plant science and agriculture in arid environments, and co-chaired by Brande Wulff, a leader in crop genetics, and Peiying Hong, an expert in environmental microbiology and wastewater treatment.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Food systems are responsible for at least 21 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, 80 percent of deforestation, and 45 percent of groundwater use, making them the top cause of land biodiversity loss.

• Saudi Arabia is targeting a 75 percent reduction in food waste by 2050, encouraging plant-based diets and sustainably-sourced seafood.

• The Kingdom aims to reduce degraded land by 50 percent by 2050 and achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030.


It aims to address key challenges in resource efficiency, crop improvement, and sustainable biosystems, with the goal of enhancing food security in Saudi Arabia and beyond while minimizing environmental impacts.

“To deliver food to our plates, we need to prepare the land, improve our crops, harvest, process and distribute,” Tester told Arab News.

“Together, these activities are arguably the most environmentally impactful of all human activities, using half of all the land and three-quarters of all the water we use, and the food sector is probably the second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.



“All steps in the process need to be improved to increase sustainability, from fertilizer production and the deployment of technologies to increasing our ability to grow fresh fruits and vegetables locally, through to education to improve nutrition and reduce waste.”

The center uses advanced technologies to boost sustainability in the food sector, including artificial intelligence-machine learning, Internet of Things sensors, and computer vision and robotics, all key components of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

It also employs nanotechnology, such as heat-absorbing nanoparticles that reduce heat load in greenhouses, and biotechnologies such as genomics, gene editing and modifications to enhance crops in ways previously not possible.

Tester said the center has also introduced the Sustainable Food Security Edible Education Program, which is designed to “help reconnect young people with the sources of their food — ultimately plants — and to do this in a way that is fun and engaging, and in a way that kids can immediately relate to; i.e., through food.”

He added: “We all get hungry, several times a day, and if we are growing at least some of our food that we then eat, it reminds us of how our meals end up on our plates. In the Edible Education Program, we help children and their teachers grow plants in the schoolyard and use these for some of their school lunches. It is immediate, direct and fun.”

Saudi Arabia has actively promoted domestic and foreign investments in agriculture, Al-Fadley, the environment, water and agriculture minister, said during the G20 meeting in Brazil. Over the past four years, agricultural loans have surged, contributing to growth of 35 percent in the Kingdom’s agricultural gross domestic product.

 


Alkhobar offers a visual feast with 56 works exploring new realities

Updated 20 December 2024
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Alkhobar offers a visual feast with 56 works exploring new realities

  • Artists from Saudi Arabia and the world are screening creations
  • Kingdom’s Lina Saeed Qattan showing ‘Lena and the Magic Carpet’

ALKHOBAR: The sixth International Video Art Forum launched this week at the Cinema Society headquarters in Alkhobar, offering a visual feast for afficionados.

Organized by the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, in collaboration with the Cinema Society, the event runs for 10 days and will feature groundbreaking video art from around the globe.

A jury of experts selected 56 artworks, narrowed down from 127. And the space showcases work from 29 countries, narrowed down from 41.

The forum has become one of the region’s top international platforms for video art, having featured more than 823 artworks from over 70 countries. (Supplied)

“There is no particular theme this year — aside from it being within the realm of ‘imagination embodied, reality transformed,’” Yousif Al-Harbi, director of SASCA’s Dammam branch and general supervisor of the forum, told Arab News.

“This year’s works continue to express the transformation of imaginative ideas and perceptions into tangible works of art that can have an impact on the reality that we live in.”

The videos can be watched in the upstairs space, which is covered with a black cloth door. Only three people can watch the short films as they play on a loop.

This year’s works continue to express the transformation of imaginative ideas and perceptions into tangible works of art that can have an impact on the reality that we live in.

Yousif Al-Harbi, Saudi Society for Culture and Arts director

The longest video is 7 minutes and the shortest under a minute.

A notable video is the 3-minute “Choreography of Space and Time” by German-based Egyptian artist Ehab Aziz that blends abstract imagery and dynamic movement.

In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Lina Saeed Qattan’s minute-long “Lena and the Magic Carpet,” uses artificial intelligence to showcase vibrant colors as Lena travels through the desert.

Organized by the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, in collaboration with the Cinema Association, the Video Art Forum will feature video art from around the globe. (Supplied)

Arab News spoke with the 21-year-old Yemeni director, Yousef Ahmed, who has lived his entire life in the Eastern Province, about his short film, “Dose.”

“The film is about a depressed person who replaces his medication with sweets after reading a newspaper article,” he explained.

“It explores his journey of shifting perspectives — rising out of his sadness, only to sometimes fall back into it. We’ve all had days like this, and that’s completely normal.”

The film, under a minute long, was shot and edited entirely on a mobile phone over a month, specifically for the forum. “The phone is always available and accessible,” he said.

He added that finding the right music and fitting it into a larger format such as a TV screen was a challenge.

Workshops dedicated to AI and painting with light, were also part of the programming, as well as panel discussions with filmmakers and artists.

The forum has become one of the region’s top international platforms for video art, having featured more than 823 artworks from over 70 countries.

It has also hosted 31 lectures and workshops, offering artists a unique opportunity to connect and share their work with a global audience.

The winners will be announced at the conclusion of the event.

 


1,500 influencers participate in Riyadh’s ImpaQ event

Updated 59 min 40 sec ago
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1,500 influencers participate in Riyadh’s ImpaQ event

  • The signing ceremony was attended by Saudi Arabia’s Media Minister Salman bin Youssef Al-Dossary, who emphasized the significance of such initiatives in supporting the media and digital sectors

RIYADH: The Impact Makers Forum, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media, drew over 1,500 influencers and specialists from around the world, including more than 30,000 visitors.

ImpaQ, the first and largest event of its kind in the Kingdom, was hosted at the Mayadeen Hall in Diriyah, Riyadh, under the slogan “Inspiration Beyond Numbers.”

The two-day event, which ended on Thursday, provided a new platform for influencers to focus on creativity and innovation.

During the forum, a series of strategic agreements and partnerships were signed to promote and enhance creativity and innovation in the Kingdom’s media and marketing sectors.

The signing ceremony was attended by Saudi Arabia’s Media Minister Salman bin Youssef Al-Dossary, who emphasized the significance of such initiatives in supporting the media and digital sectors.

 


Plaudits for Hail Region Development Authority

Updated 20 December 2024
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Plaudits for Hail Region Development Authority

  • Omar Abduljabbar highlighted the authority’s concentration on human capital and its consistent attempts to empower and support national talent to drive its mission forward

HAIL: Great Place To Work, the global workplace culture organization, has ranked Hail Region Development Authority as fourth among the best public sector workplaces in the Kingdom.

The recognition underscores the authority’s commitment to cultivating a positive workplace culture, enhancing employee experiences, and strengthening the body’s reputation.

Omar Abduljabbar, the CEO of Hail Region Development Authority, said that the ranking reflected the authority’s commitment to fostering a positive and empowering work culture.

He highlighted the authority’s concentration on human capital and its consistent attempts to empower and support national talent to drive its mission forward.

Abduljabbar stressed the authority’s dedication to regularly assessing employee satisfaction, and attributed its achievement to its unwavering focus on creating a supportive, innovation-driven atmosphere that enhanced productivity and aligned with strategic objectives.

 


Pakistan president receives Saudi Shoura Council speaker in Islamabad

Updated 20 December 2024
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Pakistan president receives Saudi Shoura Council speaker in Islamabad

  • Sheikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Pakistani president

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh was received by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad as part of his official visit, reported Saudi Press Agency.

Sheikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Pakistani president, as well as their well wishes for the government and the continued progress and prosperity of the country’s people.

During the meeting, the two men reviewed bilateral relations between the two nations and ways in which they could be enhanced. Other topics of common interest were also discussed.