Image via The Washington Post
As Saudi Arabia continues working on empowering women across industries, it has been witnessing the fruition of its efforts across the board, from the increase in women’s contribution to the Kingdom’s economy, to their increased presence in various sectors, to more women taking on leadership roles. Last week, as part of its ongoing efforts, the Kingdom hosted a conference entitled “Women in Industry,” designed to provide job and networking opportunities for women, as well as support their employment in various industrial sectors.
The event was launched by the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef, and was hosted in the capital city, Riyadh. In the agenda were a number of key matters such as the development of suitable work environments for women, the achievement of overall sustainable economic development, and the empowerment of women by public and private organizations, amongst other objectives.
Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has expedited its efforts towards supporting women’s inclusion and active participation in the labor market, through various reforms, initiatives, programs, and more. For instance, on the sidelines of the 2020 edition of Forum for Empowering Women in the Communications and Information Technology Sector, a milestone program was launched entitled the Women Empowerment Program. This initiative focuses on highlighting the contributions and accomplishments of Saudi women in the field of communications and information technology, and aims to nurture a system that attracts and supports the right skills for the industry, build a competitive and sustainable sector, and create more work opportunities for women in the field.
The Saudi vaccine, which adopts DNA technology and requires no freezing, will now enter the trial phase:https://t.co/E5WznCKtiB
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) January 17, 2021
Beyond industry, women’s participation in society has been a primary focus as well in Saudi Arabia, such as in the field of sports where the percentage of women participating has jumped to a staggering 70 percent in just a few years. Indeed, last year’s G20 summit, under Saudi Arabia’s presidency, coincided with the launch of the first Women’s Football League (WFL) in the Kingdom, marking a key achievement for the country and its women.
