Women's Economic Forum 2024 highlights Saudi women's effective leadership in business sector
His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor: Saudi women have proven their efficiency in the labor market and the percentage of them holding leadership positions has increased. His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abu Thunain, confirmed during the first dialogue session entitled (Saudi Women in Light of Saudi Vision 2030 (Effective Leadership)), which was moderated by Board Member Nouf bint Abdulaziz Al-Turki, that the Kingdom has achieved qualitative leaps in the rates of economic participation of women to reach 35.4% in the second quarter of 2024, compared to about 17% in 2017. His Excellency pointed out the most important initiatives that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has worked on and focused on supporting women's participation in the labor market, such as the leadership training program in cooperation with INSEAD University to qualify Saudi women for administrative and leadership positions, which contributed to training 1,700 female leaders, as well as the parallel training program to support training female workers in their first years of work, which contributed to employing and training more than 122,000 Saudi women on the job in various training programs to develop personal skills and specialized technical skills in cooperation with the largest accredited training bodies. His Excellency pointed out that the Ministry continues to work on a number of programs such as the "Wosool" program, which covers part of the costs of women's transportation to and from work, and the "Qara" program, which aims to motivate and empower women to join the labor market and support their continuity in it by providing financial support for childcare services. His Excellency said that the Ministry is currently working on launching new initiatives that empower women within the National Transformation Program in several areas, such as: the initiative to increase job opportunities for women in the field of flexible work, another in developing skills and increasing job opportunities for women in the field of freelance work, and the initiative to develop the childcare system to empower working women.
The forum witnessed three other sessions that addressed developments in the status of Saudi women in light of the vision, opportunities and capabilities available to them in the entrepreneurship system and ways to enhance their roles in it, and their pivotal role in economic development in all its various sectors, in addition to training and its importance in qualifying them for successful leadership. In the second session, entitled (Entrepreneurship Opportunities and Potentials), which was moderated by Board Member Agharid bint Ihsan Abdul Jawad, and in which the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arab Business and Investment Company, Eng. Anmar bin Jumaa Al Sulaimani, Dean of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dr. Kholoud bint Saad Al-Ghamdi, Director of the Social Entrepreneurship Department at the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha'at), Fawaz bin Mahmoud Al-Tamimi, and Executive Director of Studies and Research and Data Management Office at the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank, Dr. Iman bint Hamlool Al-Shammari, spoke, and was chaired by Board Member of the Asharqia Chamber Agharid bint Ihsan Abdul Jawad. The participants spoke about the importance of the entrepreneur having high self-confidence, and to be sure that opportunities are now more than before, noting the need to continue learning and supporting ideas with knowledge and experience. The speakers said that empowerment houses now offer multiple programs directed at entrepreneurs, providing them with training programs and support that help them start their own projects, or continue and develop them, stressing the importance of benefiting from the experiences of those who preceded them in the field and learning about the stages of failure and success in their projects, stressing that these stories are lessons that new entrepreneurs can benefit from. They also advised staying away from "gift" projects, pointing out that every entrepreneur, male and female, has their own style and personality that must be present in their project. In the third session, entitled (The pivotal role of Saudi women in economic development), moderated by Board Member Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al-Bassam, Najib Al-Sihati, CEO and Vice Chairman of Al-Sihati Group of Companies, Sheila Al-Ruwaili, CEO of Wasaya International Investment Company, Basma Al-Mayman, Regional Director for the Middle East at the United Nations Tourism Organization, and Amal Dokhan, General Partner at Five Hundred Global, spoke. The participants in the dialogue emphasized the importance of women's participation today in economic development, and their receipt of appropriate support and empowerment, which contributed to enhancing their presence and participation in the economic development movement, and in leadership positions, which was reflected in raising their contribution positively in achieving Saudi Vision 2030, and their participation in decision-making. The fourth and final session, titled (Training and its Importance in Qualifying Female Leaders), was moderated by Abdullah bin Ali Al-Saad, Advisor in Marketing and Business Development. Dr. Mansour Al-Rumayan, General Supervisor of the Agency for Labor Market Affairs and Human Capital Development at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Mai Al-Muzaini, Founder and CEO of the Arab Center for Women's Empowerment (Nusf), and Eman Al-Samari, Director and Co-Founder of the Women's Leadership Center at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, spoke. The participants emphasized the importance of training and qualification for female leaders, and the programs provided by governmental, private and non-profit entities that contribute to and support women's empowerment and qualify them in the appropriate manner to assume leadership positions and contribute to economic development and developmental movement at all levels.
