Saudi women have significantly contributed toward development of KSA

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Dr. Abrar Abdulmannan Bar
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Updated 11 September 2022
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Saudi women have significantly contributed toward development of KSA

  • Initiatives in line with Vision 2030 aim to place more women in leadership roles

MAKKAH: Saudi women have made significant contributions in the fields of economic and social development in the Kingdom, affirmed Dr. Abrar Abdulmannan Bar, head of the knowledge department at the Salam Project for Cultural Communication and expert in women’s empowerment.

This was achieved by providing women with the skills needed to assume leadership positions, she said.

Bar, who also works as a visiting junior assistant professor at Tokai University in Japan, said that “women’s empowerment is a global concern and an integral part of the development plans around the world.”

Studies show that empowering women in the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development can boost these countries’ gross domestic product by a total of $6 trillion, Bar explained.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Women’s economic participation increased from 19.3 percent in 2016 to 33.2 percent by the end of 2020, according to the General Authority for Statistics, while unemployment decreased from 34.5 percent in 2016 to 24.4 percent in 2020.

• Women’s participation in the labor market increased from 25.9 percent to 33.6 percent between 2020 and 2021, exceeding the targets set in Vision 2030.

• The average annual income of Saudi women reached SR111.6 billion ($29.6 billion).

In just five years following the announcement of the Kingdom’s Vision in 2016, over 293,000 women entered the labor market.

“We now see Saudi female ambassadors, deputy ministers and other motivational models for Saudi women,” she said.

Women’s economic participation increased from 19.3 percent in 2016 to 33.2 percent by the end of 2020, according to the General Authority for Statistics, while unemployment decreased from 34.5 percent in 2016 to 24.4 percent in 2020.

Women’s participation in the labor market increased from 25.9 percent to 33.6 percent between 2020 and 2021, exceeding the targets set in Vision 2030.

We now see Saudi female ambassadors, deputy ministers and other motivational models for Saudi women.

Dr. Abrar Abdulmannan Bar

Bar revealed that the average annual income of Saudi women reached SR111.6 billion ($29.6 billion).

The benefits of empowering women extend to the whole of society, Bar said. The more women are empowered, the more “they will be able to educate their children and elevate their families and communities in general.”

Work-life balance should also involve men, she said, and the domestic sphere should not be limited to women only.

“There should be a culture of ongoing support in order to achieve this balance and attain professional, managerial, personal and familial achievements. It’s normal to face some obstacles and challenges along the way,” Bar said.

There are many programs, including but not limited to the Women Leaders 2030 Mentoring and Leadership Training Initiative for Female Cadres, one of the initiatives launched by the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in collaboration with the long-established French business school, INSEAD.

The initiative aims to equip Saudi women with leadership skills that will give them a competitive edge both in the Saudi work environment and internationally.

Another program is the Young Leadership Qualification Program for Global Communication provided by the Salam Project for Cultural Communication, which promotes interreligious and intercultural dialogue.

Bar said that 50 percent of the participants were Saudi women, and over 250 Saudi male and female youths were trained in this program.

This was achieved in parallel with the launching of the Leadership Program, one of the initiatives of the Women’s Leadership Center at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

The program, carried out in collaboration with local and international experts, trains young Saudi women for leadership positions.

 


Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues 

Updated 25 May 2025
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Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir received China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed strengthening cooperation in climate action and environmental conservation, along with other topics of mutual interest.

Both officials also reviewed the Kingdom’s ongoing initiatives and achievements in this field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a separate meeting, Al-Jubeir received the deputy secretary-general for political affairs at the European External Action Service, Olof Skoog, and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting reviewed international developments and the efforts being made to address them, in addition to discussing topics of mutual interest.


Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid to deliver Arafah sermon during Hajj 2025

Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid will deliver the Arafah sermon during this year’s Hajj. (@PRAGOVSA)
Updated 25 May 2025
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Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid to deliver Arafah sermon during Hajj 2025

  • The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims
  • The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9

RIYADH: Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid will deliver the Arafah sermon during this year’s Hajj, the Presidency of Religious Affairs announced on Sunday.

The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims. Muslims around the world who are not performing the pilgrimage mark the day by fasting and engaging in worship.

The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9.

Head of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the appointment.

The appointment underscores the Kingdom’s global religious leadership, reflects its continued support for religious institutions, and exemplifies the leadership’s care for the two holy mosques, the presidency said.


Saudi deputy FM receives EU official in Riyadh

Updated 25 May 2025
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Saudi deputy FM receives EU official in Riyadh

  • A meeting was also held as part of the third round of political consultations between Saudi Arabia and the EEAS

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Olof Skoog, deputy secretary-general for political affairs at the European External Action Service, and his accompanying delegation, in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the EU and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.

A meeting was also held as part of the third round of political consultations between the Kingdom and the EEAS. Senior officials from both sides participated in the session, chaired by Raed bin Khalid Qarmli, director-general of the general directorate of policy planning at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, with Skoog representing the European side.

 


Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority

Ahmad Farooq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, meets with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
Updated 25 May 2025
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Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority

  • The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture

RIYADH: Ahmad Farooq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, met with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Riyadh.

The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture, the Pakistani Embassy wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

The ambassador presented Inzerillo with a painting from his own Diriyah-themed series, created to celebrate the Kingdom’s history and heritage.

He also presented him with a made-in-Pakistan FIFA-standard football “symbolizing Pakistan’s craftsmanship and the mutual spirit of friendship.”


Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity

Updated 25 May 2025
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Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity

  • Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed

RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom by land were introduced to projects and initiatives of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.

The initiative aims to enhance biodiversity, restore vegetation and breed endangered species to create a more sustainable natural environment.

The authority also distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about environmental preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed.

Visitors were informed about the reserve’s environmental heritage, biodiversity, and commitment to sustainable ecological stewardship, the SPA added.

The authority works to preserve biodiversity by protecting habitats and creating safe environments for wildlife and plants to thrive.

Its achievements include planting more than 2.4 million trees, scattering four tonnes of native seeds and rehabilitating 250,000 hectares of degraded land.

The reserve hosts more than 290 documented bird species — about 58 percent of those recorded in the Kingdom — and includes five internationally recognized important bird areas.

Covering 130,700 sq. kilometers, the King Salman Reserve is the largest natural terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, spanning four administrative regions: Jouf, Hail, Northern Borders, and Tabuk.