5 Times Saudi Women Dominated Headlines in 2021

And this is just the beginning.

From athletes to first responders, Saudi Arabian women have been leaving their mark on 2021 with trailblazing moments in various fields, reaching new heights and achieving many accomplishments. As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at five times Saudi women dominated headlines.

Begin Slideshow

1 of 5

As Emergency Responders

The Unified Security Operations Center is the Kingdom’s emergency call services, which can be reached by dialing 911. In 2021, it made headlines with the announced recruitment of female staff trained to respond to callers in various languages. These inspiring women would operate under the Kingdom’s National Center for Security Operations (NCSO).

2 of 5

As Staff at Islam’s Holy Sites

2021 saw an increase in female staff working for various departments of the Saudi General Presidency for the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, with the number said to reach over 600. In fact, this includes the deployment for female security personnel to Islam’s holy sites in April, the first time in the nation’s history such a milestone was accomplished.

3 of 5

As Athletes

Saudi Arabia has been championing an increase in female athletes on the field, and 2021 had no shortage of accomplishments set by inspiring women. For instance, the Kingdom held its very first netball tournament on a cruise, which is seen as a push for promoting the Commonwealth sport in tourism and schools across Saudi Arabia. In addition, November saw the launch of the first edition of the Kingdom’s Women’s Football League (WFL) with 16 teams set to play in 3 major cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. The Arab Badminton Cup was also held in the same month in Bahrain with Saudi duo, Haya Al-Mudra and Rana Abu Harbash, competing for the first time outside the Kingdom.

4 of 5

In Tourism

The tourism sector is a key part of the Saudi Vision 2030 in a bid to diversify the economy from over-reliance on the oil sector and, in 2021, the number of Saudi women in tourism were said to reach 54 percent. This is a staggering increase from 22 percent in female participation from 2019 according to Arabian Business.

5 of 5

In Tech

Switching gears to the tech industry, Saudi Arabia saw an increase of its female staff to 24 percent, which is double the number set in 2017. This is thanks to efforts by the Kingdom to get more women to work in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, and cybersecurity. In addition to conferences, and providing platforms for women in the tech industry, Saudi Arabia has been providing scholarship programs, which have attracted 67 percent of female applicants.