Her Excellency the Secretary General of the Family Affairs Council, Dr. Maymouna Khalil Al Khalil, headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the International Conference for the Advancement of Women’s Rights and Empowerment, within the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, and delivered the Kingdom’s speech during her presence.
Her Excellency the Secretary referred to the importance of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which constituted an essential and strong support in empowering Saudi women and aimed to pave the way for women to reach the highest ranks at the local and international levels in parallel with the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the fifth goal “Gender Equality” and the goal “Reduce Inequalities”.
The most important targets that have been set in the programs to achieve the vision and the National Transformation Program, which in turn seeks to enhance the role of Saudi women to increase their participation in the labor market and increase their chances of holding managerial positions.
Her Excellency the Secretary-General highlighted the most important results of the Kingdom’s ambitious vision, which enhanced the status of Saudi women and guaranteed them their rights and full access to all opportunities and services. Her Excellency added that Saudi women have proven their ability and efficiency in leading change and decision-making in all fields, and the effects of their contribution to national development and their role in achieving economic and social transformation.
Her Excellency the Secretary-General reviewed the most important developments for Saudi women, with their participation rate in the labor market reaching 35.5%, exceeding the vision’s target, and the percentage of women holding leadership positions at 42.2%, and the percentage of small enterprises owned by women reached 45%. She added that the pioneering participation of women in the field of research and innovation contributed to the increase in the rate of scientific publication to 91%, in addition to what the world witnessed in the arrival of the first Saudi woman in space.
Her Excellency concluded her speech by emphasizing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s keenness to strengthen long-term partnerships with the international community and the importance of creating success stories in the field of women’s empowerment and concerted efforts to shed light on women’s achievements, which directly reflects on the economy and society.
