This Saudi Princess says more women want leadership positions

When Saudi Arabia’s social and economic reform strategies come to mind, regional observers always wonder about the role of women in this equation.

Not many people know that Saudi women are on the front lines of change in various fields in the Kingdom and beyond. That’s because their efforts often go unnoticed due to a lack of representation in local and even international media.

To find out more about these contributions, Argaam recently interviewed Dr. Reem bint Mansour Al-Saud, who is a sustainable development expert and a member of Saudi Arabia’s permanent delegation to the United Nations in New York.

“We see more women wanting to contribute to the Vision by taking positions of leadership and pursuing non-traditional jobs that are needed in the market,” Dr. Reem said.

Dr. Reem, who describes herself as a conscientious and passionate women’s development specialist, is also a member of the royal family. She believes in the Kingdom’s evolution, and is working around the clock to leave an impact.

“Saudi Arabia through Vision 2030 is taking the necessary steps to support women,” she said.

Dr. Reem’s experience includes economic analysis, capacity building and outreach. She is an expert in evidence-based policy design, women’s labor force participation, and the use of legal, financial, and economic instruments to achieve sustainable development.

With an ambitious National Transformation Program 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030, Dr. Reem believes that the Kingdom recognizes women as “equal to men” in contributing not only to the economy, but also to social development.

The Vision 2030 reform plan aims at creating 450,000 employment opportunities for women, which will in turn lift some of society’s restrictions.

As a result, more opportunities are opening up for Saudi women today in fields that were not available to them before such as border control, airport traffic, and senior government posts, according to Dr. Reem.

But, these changes are not just the responsibility of the government. Companies and the private sector also have a role to play in order to ensure gender equality and equal opportunities.

“In regards to pay, while policies exist against discrimination between men and women with the same skill-set, to their detriment, companies are lagging in implementing those policies,” said Dr. Reem “If we want to drive economic growth, wage gaps need to be monitored and compliance has to be ensured.”

Meanwhile, through her work with civil society on the ground, Dr. Reem has incorporated gender-sensitive policies that aim at promoting equality in the labor market.

When asked about how the Kingdom is progressing in this regard, she said the “most important” step taken so far is allowing women to drive.

This decision has a “huge impact” on women’s entry into the labor market, the quality of family life, and the overall economy, Dr. Reem added.

She also discussed recent developments to the women’s labor force participation, which has risen from 12 percent in 2009 to 18 percent in 2017.

These changes have taken place since the Kingdom started to implement rigorous economic and social reforms over the past five years.

Saudi women in leadership roles are also contributing to sustainable development on the social and economic levels, Dr. Reem said, adding that women in leadership positions can bring different priorities to the table, which leads to different— yet substantial contributions.

In addition to being part of the UN mission to developing countries, Dr. Reem has worked closely with post-conflict and vulnerable women and men in Colombia. Her scope included helping and learning effective methods to enhance leadership and soft skills, engaging with local governance, and civil society training.

She hopes to help others to become catalysts for change in their communities, as the training helped shift their mindset from that of lack to one that is empowered. She also hopes to bring her experience home to Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Reem, who is a Harvard-trained public policy professional, holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies from Oxford University.

She was a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and is working on enhancing Saudi labor policies, particularly those concerned with women. She has also participated on behalf of Saudi Arabia in the negotiations of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Write to Christine at christine.elcheikh@argaamplus.com and Reem at reem.a@argaam.com

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Dr. Reem is a UN Goodwill Ambassador. She is a member of the permanent delegation to the United Nations in New York.