AGENT of change

Realizing that empowering women is crucial to accelerating sustainable development, Princess Dr. Reem bint Mansour Al Saud is leading the fight for gender equality in Saudi Arabia.

In your current role, how are you able to drive the agenda of sustainable development and promote female leadership?

When I joined the Permanent Delegation of Saudi Arabia to the UN, the UN 2030 Agenda was still being negotiated, so I participated in the negotiations on behalf of Saudi Arabia. The focus of the UN 2030 Agenda is to address the root causes of poverty and eliminate it by 2030. The UN 2030 Agenda has three dimensions—social, economic, and environmental—and these are all interconnected, because one cannot address one without addressing the others. We have formulated 17 goals, and number five is about gender equality. Each goal has a specific set of targets, and these have a specific set of indicators or KPIs to determine what we have actually achieved. If we want to thrive as a people and a planet by 2030, we should all work together to do the best that we can.

How do you assess the changes in Saudi Arabia in recent years when it comes to your agenda, and what are your main advocacy points in terms of more female leadership and equality?

Allowing women to drive was definitively something that had to happen, because there is no way we could have grown as a nation and as people with half of society marginalized and not even being able to drive. Allowing women to drive and securing safer public transportation boosts the economy and allows women to take control of their lives and contribute as full members of society. A great deal of work has been done in terms of providing job opportunities for women in Saudi. Under Vision 2030, 450,000 jobs have been created for women, and female labor force participation has increased from 12% in 2009 to 80% in 2017. One thing I would like to see change—not only in Saudi Arabia but everywhere else in the world—is meaningful employment for women. Most women end up working in low-skilled jobs that do not have a career path. In terms of policy, there has to be a focus on equal opportunities for both men and women. Whatever is perceived as traditional jobs for men or women is being questioned because in Saudi Arabia there are more women with higher education than men. This says a great deal about the jobs they would like to end up pursuing. Therefore, investing in women’s career development and providing the necessary training and equal job opportunities for them to also have a career is important.

“Under Vision 2030, 450,000 jobs have been created for women.”

What would be your message to young female graduates entering the labor market?

First, because of the family structure in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in general, the male leader of the house usually provides for everyone. Most of the time, men and women start seeking job opportunities after they graduate. However, I would suggest getting the necessary skills even before graduating because this will help them understand the labor market and its needs and the career path they might want to choose or switch to. Second, my message to women is to not be afraid to communicate your needs. Many times, women are afraid to say they are not feeling well. In North America, some companies offer mental health days, so you can ask for a day off simply because you are tired or need a break. I also notice in my work environment that women take on dead-end tasks, such as getting the coffee, typing, or writing emails without necessarily doing anything that can intellectually contribute to the job or the conversation. My message would be to not be afraid to say no and be choosy about your career path and what you want from your work. ✖

is preparing itself to play host to the 15th meeting of the G20, which is scheduled to take place in November 2020. Over the years, G20 summits have been the focal point of international dialogs regarding the global economy, though each summit may have a specific theme, as well. The Riyadh Summit’s agenda will include topics as diverse as the world economy, trade, and energy, as well as the environment, to name a few.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will chair the Riyadh Summit, and some of the most influential world leaders will be in attendance, including US President Donald Trump, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the newly elected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and China’s Xi Jinping.

The G20 was launched just a year before the turn of the millennium to create a forum where world powers could discuss matters of global politics and finance. The founders hoped for the G20 to contribute to global economic stability and sustainable development, while forestalling economic crises by reducing financial risks.

The group’s membership includes 19 global economies plus the EU, which are—by definition—the most affluent and influential nations in the world. It is estimated that members of this exclusive club together represent up to 85% of the global economy.

The G20’s predecessor, the G8, was only composed of advanced economies, but the G20 also includes emerging—though highly significant—economies such as Saudi Arabia, which joined in 2008.

If nothing else, the Kingdom’s membership has had a great symbolic significance, not least because Saudi Arabia is the only country from the Arab world and one of the three with a Muslim majority to make it to the G20.

THE SAUDI CAPITAL OF RIYADH

While speaking at the Osaka Summit in 2019, Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud expressed his satisfaction with the fact that his country will host the group’s next meeting, adding that “We have a responsibility to create an environment in which the world thrives and will work with G20 to find a consensus for resolving world crises.”

This claim is supported by the real steps that the Kingdom has taken in recent years. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 document launched in 2016 is perfectly in synergy with the values promoted by the G20, particularly in areas such as economic diversification, sustainable growth, and the empowerment of women. Riyadh has openly expressed that “Saudi Arabia is fully committed to the G20’s objectives and to the stability and prosperity of the international economic system.”

Coupled with the reforms heralded by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the launching of Saudi Vision 2030 has given the Kingdom more credibility and a stronger voice in international arenas. In this context, Saudi Arabia will have an excellent opportunity to deepen its ties with other G20 members over the term of the country’s presidency, starting on December 1, 2019.

During the months leading to the Riyadh Summit, many high-ranking officials as well as private-sector business leaders from fellow G20 countries will pay a visit to the Kingdom to participate in preparatory meetings. Such sideline events, too, will undoubtedly have a knock-on effect on the Saudi economy, which may be as great as the impact of the main summit. Above all, the Riyadh Summit will mark a climactic point in the process of Saudi Arabia’s development and modernization, giving the country a new image as a Middle Eastern power that is—in many respects— on par with the largest economies in the world. ✖