Princess Lulwa Al Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz
Saudi Arabia’s newly formed Family Affairs Council, based in Riyadh, is a huge step for women and families in the Muslim world. Not only that, Saudi Arabia’s cabinet has selected three women on the council, one of which includes Princess Lulwa Al Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, who has devoted her life to women’s affairs in Saudi Arabia. The other two women are Lana Saeed, a Professor of social work and services at the King Saood University and Raja Bahadhiq, an MA student who is an associate instructor at Montessori curriculum schools in Riyadh. The three of them will sit for a renewable three-year term. This also coincides with the exciting fact that the employment rates for Saudi women are currently at an all-time high.
The council, which was officially launched on Sunday, is chaired by the labour and social development minister and has 14 members in total, representing an array of ministries. The council aims to place a higher importance on family matters and come up with ways to address and solve issues. They also aim to increase the public’s interest in these matters, which is very important for many women and families in Saudi Arabia.
Some of the undertakings of the council are proposals on family-related legislation, the preparation of a database on family affairs, cooperation with regional and international organisations concerned with family affairs and participation in conferences and symposiums on family issues. Local and international think tanks will be largely collaborated with when research and studies on family matters are carried out.
