“His Excellency the Minister of Labor and Social Development, Engineer Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, patronized the third session of the Arab-Chinese Women’s Forum, held under the theme “Women and Shaping a Creative and Sustainable Future.” Organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in collaboration with the Family Affairs Council and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, the event brought together distinguished officials and representatives from various governmental and private sectors. In his keynote address, Al-Rajhi expressed gratitude to the League of Arab States for this initiative aimed at strengthening ties between Arab nations and the People’s Republic of China, while emphasizing shared goals in women’s empowerment. He noted that the forum coincides with Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the G20, which commenced on December 1, 2019. Al-Rajhi highlighted the unprecedented attention and support women have received under the Kingdom’s visionary leadership, particularly in the areas of empowerment and administrative leadership. He affirmed that women are integral to society as equal partners, recognized for their significant capabilities and roles in achieving sustainable social and economic development. Al-Rajhi stressed the foundational role women play in building stable families, which are essential for establishing secure, intellectually sound, and culturally aware communities. These communities, in turn, contribute to realizing the objectives of development plans that aim to create a vibrant society driven by its sons and daughters.
He commended women for their remarkable success in various fields, stating that they continue to set exemplary standards through the positions they hold and the accomplishments they achieve across all sectors.”
The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at advancing women’s empowerment and increasing their participation in the labor market, a key objective of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. These initiatives seek to enable women to assume more prominent and dynamic roles within economic development plans. One of the most significant initiatives is the Leadership Training and Mentorship Program for Women, which aims to train and equip at least 1,700 women in the public and private sectors to take on leadership positions in the workforce.
Recognizing the importance of international cooperation, particularly between nations with strong relations, and the value of drawing from shared experiences, this forum serves as a platform to explore the intersections and distinctions between Arab and Chinese women within their respective cultural contexts. These insights carry significant value in advancing women’s empowerment and addressing family-related affairs. The forum aspires to leverage collective expertise, present innovative initiatives, and outline a strategic framework to strengthen women’s roles in fostering modern, thriving societies. Women today are assuming increasingly diverse roles, transitioning from traditional responsibilities, taking on more prominent positions in decision-making processes and excelling in areas such as technology, digitization, and business investment. This forum aims to enhance opportunities for women in business, identify promising economic prospects, elevate their status within Arab and Chinese cultures, and support their contributions in professional, social, health, and economic domains. Furthermore, the discussions aim to foster empowerment strategies, develop innovative training opportunities, and strengthen collaborative partnerships between Arab and Chinese women. The forum featured a comprehensive program of lectures and discussions that addressed key topics, including non-profit sector initiatives for empowering women, women’s role in investment, their cultural significance in Arab and Chinese societies, capacity-building in technology and digitization, and avenues for strengthening partnerships between Arab and Chinese women. The event also included an exhibition and organized visits to significant sites within the university and the historic Diriyah district, providing participants with further opportunities for cultural exchange.
It is worth noting that the forum aims to discuss the role of the non-profit sector in supporting women across the professional, social, health and economic fields. It seeks to highlight women’s contributions to the economy and investment, as well as the exchange of business expertise by exploring methods to enhance opportunities for women in investment and identifying promising business prospects. Additionally, the forum examines the status and role of women in Arab and Chinese culture in terms of similarities, differences and common values between them. It also reviews the best training and educational programs tailored to women in economics and technology, while identifying areas of mutual interest and collaboration between Arab and Chinese women across various fields.
