RIYADH: Marking International Women’s Day this year, King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Development and Management Company partnered with Mastercard, Misk Schools, UNESCO and UN Global Compact to launch a STEM education program, Girls4Tech, for young girls in the Kingdom.
The Girls4Tech initiative aims to inspire and motivate young girls in Saudi Arabia and the wider region to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
This year’s global theme for International Women’s Day on March 8 was digital innovation and technology for gender equality.
A panel discussion on the role of girls and women in STEM for economic growth and development was held on Wednesday at the KAFD.
A panel of experts shed light on the program and its importance.
“The program focuses on creating a more sustainable and inclusive digital economy which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and in particular, those pertaining to the quality of education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth,” said Ibrahim Al-Hilali, executive director of the UN Global Compact network in Saudi Arabia, who also moderated the session.
The UN has predicted that greater numbers of women in STEM disciplines will see global gross domestic product rise by almost 25 percent, adding $28 trillion to the world economy.
“So we have got a big gap here that we need to address,” said Gautam Sashittal, CEO of KAFD DMC, told the panel.
Sashittal added that he has always believed in a work environment creating equal opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness.
He said that KAFD’s status among the world’s premier smart districts allows it to create opportunities for women to join STEM fields.
“You would be surprised at the number of women engineers that are out in the field of construction, not just architects,” said Sashittal.
According to UNESCO, fewer than one-third of women worldwide work in scientific research and development, said Al-Hilali.
Maria Medvedeva, vice president and country manager of Saudi Arabia & Bahrain at Mastercard, said that it is important to engage girls from a young age and nudge them toward other possibilities and fields.
Medvedeva said that her male coworkers and employers pushed her to the frontline, and are supporting and encouraging drivers of change.
Since she joined Mastercard four years ago, Medvedeva said that she was able to bring the ratio of female to male employees to about 43 percent.
She added that systemic challenges present another challenge that can halt girls from being interested in STEM fields.
“We need to break the boundaries of females and stigma toward these fields from the parents’ standpoint, that even we need to educate the parents more.”
Al-Hilali praised the efforts of MasterCard, as it has pledged to connect 25 million women worldwide by 2025 to technology training, digital tools, insights and solutions that will enable them to grow and scale businesses.
“Their commitments will undoubtedly have a significant impact on promoting women’s economic empowerment, reducing gender inequality and achieving sustainable development,” he said.
Dr. Steffen Sommer, director general of Misk Schools, said: “Knowledge development happening in Riyadh needs to be in the top 10 city economies in the world by 2030, so we have to make sure that you have that inclusive workforce that actually incorporates both men and women.”
Salah Khaled, UNESCO representative to the Gulf states and Yemen, said that the role of women in science and technology is a priority for each and every single one of the SDGs.
One of UNESCO’s flagship programs is with L’Oreal Paris, which promotes and supports women in sciences.
“We are happy and proud to be supporting 250 researchers through this partnership,” said Khaled.
Another program is the Open Science program which allows access and sharing of knowledge and information in the face of the digital divide.
Khaled said: “We work with governments of our member states to encourage women and girls to engage in scientific and STEM fields, but it has to start from the primary level and young ages.”
Girls4Tech: KAFD DMC partners up to promote women and girls in STEM
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Girls4Tech: KAFD DMC partners up to promote women and girls in STEM
- The Girls4Tech initiative aims to inspire and motivate young girls in Saudi Arabia and the wider region to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
- A panel of experts shed light on the program and its importance
European Muslims arrive in Madinah
- The Ministry of Islamic Affairs received the pilgrims, who come from 14 different countries
- The 250-strong group will visit the Prophet’s Mosque and tour historic sites
RIYADH: A new group of Muslim pilgrims arrived in the holy city of Madinah from Europe on Thursday to perform Umrah as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, which supervises the program, received the 250 visitors, who come from 14 different countries. The ministry will provide the group services during their stay.
As well as visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and Quba Mosque the pilgrims will tour historic sites including the King Fahd Glorious Qur'an Printing Complex, the Uhud Martyrs’ Cemetery, and the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization.
They will then head to the holy city of Makkah to perform Umrah rituals.
Australian deputy PM highlights Saudi Arabia’s strategic importance during visit
DUABI: Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Donald Marles underlined the importance of Saudi Arabia as a key partner for Australia, highlighting its position as the country’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East.
In a statement issued by his office on Thursday, Marles said his visit to Saudi Arabia is focused on enhancing cooperation within the G20 framework and other multilateral institutions, as well as reaffirming Australia’s commitment to a rules-based global order.
Marles described Saudi Arabia as a pivotal partner in addressing shared global challenges, emphasizing the significance of deepening economic and diplomatic ties. He added that the visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues for collaboration and strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
KSrelief’s humanitarian works benefit individuals from Yemen, Ukraine and Sudan
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief) humanitarian projects in Yemen, Ukraine and Sudan continue to benefit individuals needing medical and therapeutic intervention.
In Yemen, KSrelief provided services through the Prosthetic and Rehabilitation Center in Aden to 562 patients in November as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare sector and help individuals who require prostheses.
The center also delivered 1,395 services, including the manufacturing, fitting, and rehabilitation of prosthetic limbs, along with physical therapy and specialized consultations.
Also in Aden, a team of medical volunteers undertook an adult urology surgery campaign from Dec. 15 to 22, with the nine specialists performing 15 procedures on patients. The project was implemented in collaboration with the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen
In Rzeszow, Poland, KSrelief volunteers fitted prosthetic limbs for 32 Ukrainian refugees between Dec. 8 to 15.
In Sudan’s Port Sudan, volunteers from KSrelief ran a pediatric surgical program and has successfully examined 15 children and performed seven successful surgeries so far.
‘Common Ground’ festival celebrates Saudi Arabia and Iraq cultures
- Art, music and folklore to feature at Riyadh event until Dec. 31
- Over 100 works from Iraqi and Saudi artists will be on display
RIYADH: The Kingdom launched the second “Common Ground” festival on Wednesday to celebrate the rich cultures of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Organized by the Culture Ministry, “Common Ground” features a variety of activities including art, music and folklore.
The ministry invited residents to “explore and celebrate Iraqi culture and the historical and cultural bonds between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Iraq through art, music, storytelling and more.”
The festival, which runs until Dec. 31, is being held at Mega Studio in Riyadh’s Boulevard City.
The event includes a tribute to writer Kareem Al-Iraqi, who died last year, for his contribution to art and literature, which includes novels, plays, songs and screenplays.
The opening night featured songs by renowned Iraqi singer-songwriter Kadim Al-Sahir. And Thursday will have several seminars led by heritage experts.
There will also be over 100 works from Iraqi and Saudi artists on display at the festival.
Meanwhile, in AlUla on Wednesday, Iraq’s Prime Minister Shia Al-Sudani was welcomed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for discussions on regional events.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief launches pediatric surgical program in war-ravaged Sudan
- Medical team assesses 15 children and carries out 7 successful operations during first few days of the project, which is staffed by volunteers
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief this week launched a volunteer pediatric surgical program in the Sudanese city of Port Sudan.
By Wednesday, the medical team had assessed 15 children and carried out seven successful surgeries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Sudan is locked in a civil war between two rival factions of the country’s military government that began in April 2023. It has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced about 12 million people.
The conflict has also had a devastating effect on healthcare, with more than two-thirds of major hospitals in out of service, according to the World Health Organization.
