Mohammed bin Salman has introduced social and economic reforms as part of his 2030 vision to develop Saudi Arabia.

Reforms have improved women's rights, including driving and stadium access, since the 2016 abolition of the women's guardianship system.

Saudi reforms aim to increase female workforce participation to 30% by 2030.

The Neom mega-city, costing $500 billion, aims to create a new economic hub.

The National Investment Strategy will inject 12 trillion riyals into the economy by 2030 to achieve a budget surplus.

Mohammed bin Salman's vision aims to create 1.8 million jobs and increase non-oil revenues sixfold by 2030.

Saudi Arabia's non-oil sector grew 8.2 percent in the first half of the year, advancing its global competitiveness ranking by eight places.

The vision aims to attract 150 million tourists by 2030.

The reforms have enjoyed great support from Saudi youth, who widely back Mohammed bin Salman.

The vision focuses on developing city infrastructure and providing international-standard services.

Mohammed bin Salman's 2030 vision for Saudi Arabia introduces significant social and economic reforms.

Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 poses a threat to the Wahhabi clergy's authority by modernizing the Saudi economy.

The reforms have restricted the powers of the religious police to curb Wahhabi influence.

Women's rights have been improved, with the right to drive and relaxed guardianship rules allowing travel without consent.

The Saudi government restricted the Wahhabi establishment's influence by diminishing the Commission for Promotion of Virtue's powers in 2016.

The Commission now launches awareness campaigns and plans to recruit women, no longer intervening in people's behaviors.

Mohammed bin Salman has ended the authority of Wahhabi sheikhs and reduced the role of the Virtue and Vice Authority.

The Saudi government's Entertainment Authority, led by Turki al-Sheikh, has opened the country to music, dance, and mixed concerts and clubs.

The reforms have improved women's rights, allowing them to drive, attend concerts, and mix with men.

The Crown Prince has moved to limit the Muslim Brotherhood's influence, a group deemed a terrorist organization by Saudi authorities.

The Saudi government has arrested opposing scholars and used fatwas to legitimize the Crown Prince's decisions.

The Madkhali movement has been used to counter the Muslim Brotherhood, with warnings of Kharijites in Saudi public spaces.

The reforms have reduced the religious establishment's role, limiting the Commission for Promotion of Virtue's powers.

The Saudi government and Facebook have used tools to resist the Muslim Brotherhood and prevent extremist content on social media.

The government has created a digital policy to combat terrorism and extremism.

The reforms have been met with opposition from some activists, who are angry about the moral laxity of Riyadh Season's mixed dance concerts.

The Crown Prince has convinced some clerics to adopt a moderate Islam vision, transforming the Muslim World League to promote it.

The Saudi government aims to promote a more modern and tolerant form of Islam.

The reforms have limited the Commission for Promotion of Virtue to a regulatory body, with the Entertainment Authority managing large events.

The reforms have reduced the influence of the Wahhabi establishment, restricting the religious police and Virtue and Vice Authority.

Saudi Arabia has introduced extensive human rights reforms, particularly in empowering women and implementing women's rights.

Saudi Arabia has launched initiatives to accelerate women's equality, with a 94% increase in female economic participation.

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia have progressed since Vision 2030.

In Saudi Arabia, at least 52 women are imprisoned for freedom of speech, despite reforms.

Saudi Arabia's new personal status law discriminates against women and maintains the male guardianship system.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected women's education and employment in Saudi Arabia, where female labor force participation has risen to 33.8%.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's reform agenda has curtailed the Wahhabi establishment's influence and improved women's rights.

Women's rights progress in Saudi Arabia has been hindered by challenges, including arbitrary arrest and detention of activists.

Women's rights groups are targeted and repressed by the Saudi government.

Saudi Arabia has a poor human rights record, with accusations of enforced disappearance and violent treatment of women's rights activists.

Saudi Arabia has made strides to empower women under Vision 2030, with women now holding senior positions in government and universities.

The country has enacted anti-discrimination laws and increased women's leadership representation to 39%.

Restrictions on women's freedoms persist in Saudi Arabia, with a 49 percent gender pay gap.

Laws against harassment and discrimination exist but are often unenforced, and some employers still require women to have guardian permission to work.

Women's rights progress in Saudi Arabia has been hindered by challenges and slow implementation of Vision 2030 reforms.

Saudi Arabia's women's rights reforms, including driving and reduced male guardian control, are doubted after the Salma case.

Women's rights activists face challenges as the male guardianship system restricts women's decisions.

The country must do more to achieve full equality for women and protect their rights.

Mohammed bin Salman's reforms are popular among Saudi youth.

Conservative influence has decreased since 2017, signaling a cultural shift.

Under Mohammed bin Salman, women's rights have expanded to include driving and attending concerts and sporting events.

The religious police have been banished and unmarried men and women can now sit together in cafes.

Mohammed bin Salman's reforms have faced opposition from conservative groups.

Women's rights activists are among those affected by the reforms, facing arrest and detention.

The reforms have relaxed the women's guardianship system, allowing them to travel and apply for passports without male consent.

Women still face restrictions, including needing male permission to marry, and have low labor force participation.

The reception of the reforms in Saudi society has been mixed, with some welcoming and others opposing the changes.

Implementing reforms is hindered by conservative resistance, the need for institutional reform, and balancing modernization with tradition.

Mohammed bin Salman has faced international criticism, particularly after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The reforms have brought significant changes to Saudi society, including a more vibrant cultural scene and increased opportunities for women and businesses.

The implementation of reforms in Saudi Arabia requires navigating its complex social and political landscape to balance different groups' needs.

The success of the reforms will depend on the government's ability to address the concerns of all segments of Saudi society.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 203

Mohammed bin Salman has introduced social and economic reforms as part of his 2030 vision to develop Saudi Arabia.

Title:

Content: On the anniversary of the sale of the Crown...
Al-Ajmi: The Kingdom has witnessed 6 years of achievements at all levels
He said that this was the result of a lot of clear and strategic planning, looking forward to a bright future for the country.
The expert and professor of digital media, Dr. Fahed bin Salem Al-Ajmi, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed during the past six years a great development at all levels and trends, culminating in many achievements on the ground, which was the result of a lot of clear and strategic planning, looking forward to a bright future for the country.
In detail, Al-Ajmi explained that the past six years have made great achievements that confirmed that the decision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may God protect him, to choose His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Crown Prince was a historic decision in the interest of the nation and its future, with the support of an overwhelming majority of 31 votes out of 34. The young man who illuminated the Kingdom ’ s skies with many of the plans and strategies that culminated in the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030, for which His Highness served as an architect and a cornerstone of its strong and solid foundation.
He added that what His Highness has done in the past six years confirms the great and continuous volume of work in a busy journey to achieve the achievements that put the Kingdom in the ranks of the developed countries of the world, and those great and diverse achievements, which are not enough to mention the importance of their abundance and diversity and the strength of their impact on our tangible reality.
Al-Ajmi said: Citizens and residents of the Kingdom believe that the changes made by His Highness the Crown Prince, which were sponsored by the father leader King Salman bin Abdul Aziz - may God protect them - is a turning point at the level of the state.
Despite the existence of many global challenges and difficulties, and despite the Kingdom ’ s passing through difficult situations that served as a crossroads, His Highness went on to give young people a long-term perspective, making his country ’ s history and heritage a starting line to address the present and make his work towards the future in all fields. Internationally, according to an insight into the young leader, who soon became the talk of the world.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates the sixth anniversary of the pledge of His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to draw the joy of the people and write a new history of stability at the political level and achievements at the national level. The political, economic, developmental and social files, and this project continues to prove its success and the strength of the foundation on which it was built and confirm that whoever comes with such a vision is a successful leader with a great personality, which can be described as an "exceptional" personality, making his main concern the upliftment of the homeland and the citizen.
Al-Ajmi concluded by saying: “On the occasion of this precious and dear anniversary, we recall the great meanings of the youth inspirer, the leader of reforms and the change-maker to achieve the promising future in the march of prosperity of the homeland and the citizen under the generous care and guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. ”
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To lessen reliance on oil.
To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Reforms have improved women's rights, including driving and stadium access, since the 2016 abolition of the women's guardianship system.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
What the first could not | Mohammed bin Salman.. Saudi Arabia ’ s answer to a question that no one asked
While the Middle East was looking to Western governments where young people assume leadership positions and their energies explode in order to elevate their homelands, no one expected to see a similar experience in our Arab countries soon, before circumstances gave us a chance to see the experience of Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday turned 37, the youngest crown prince in Saudi Arabia ’ s history.
On April 29, 2015, the royal order was issued to choose Prince Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince, amid a state of regional and international surprise at the unprecedented and “previous ” step, and amid anticipation of what this young man might do, the question was:“ Is he qualified to carry out the duties of this heavy position in such a great country? ”
The obvious truth is that Prince Mohammed bin Salman did more than this question and answer it, but it was an answer to a question that did not occur to him, a question about the revolution to change the face of the Kingdom and lead it towards the future.
How did the young prince change the face of the kingdom?
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shown since his tenure the Kingdom ’ s era an open mentality that flushed the dust of reactionary and extremist thought about the Kingdom, a task that was not imagined that anyone would dare, the challenge of the common mistake is the task of misery, where he will not forgive you your sanity and will not protect you from doubt and denigrating, but the steadfast leader does not turn and go his way for the sake of his people.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman made history when his reign saw Saudi women allowed to drive and enter sports stadiums and then established the Entertainment Authority.
His views have always been clear in categorical terms, when he described “religious extremism ” as an outsider in Saudi society, and that there is no place to waste women ’ s rights according to misconceptions about Islam, as the kingdom under King Salman bin Abdulaziz abolished the guardianship system for women in 2016.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman told The Atlantic: “Before 1979 there were more flexible social customs, and there were no guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia. ”
He refers to a series of disparate pieces of legislation that have not taken the status of law since the late 1970s that have limited the rights of Saudi women as minors in need of a guardian.
Bin Salman was aware of a real understanding of the change he is leading, aware of the challenge and aware of the essence of Islam, where he described those who oppose the project of “Islamic awakening ” and the mixing of the sexes in work as“ extremism, ” saying: “These extremists are contrary to what the Prophet and the adult caliphs were like, ” and hinted at the imminence of allowing Saudi women not to wear the“ black cloak. ” It is a legal text that requires the abaya to be black or the veil to be black. ”
The decision to grant licenses to open cinemas in Saudi Arabia came after 40 years of prohibition, in addition to the decision to establish the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.
Also, in the context of openness, in February 2020, several cultural bodies were established to take care of the Saudi cultural heritage, working to preserve and disseminate it at the national, regional and global levels after it was absent in light of the extremism prevailing in the Kingdom, and on the other hand to establish cultural sectors to contribute to economic diversification, including: the Heritage Authority, the Museums Authority, the Film Authority, the Music Authority and the Library Authority.
All this points to a young man who has a real intellectual approach and a strategy that clearly sees the future, knows how to go to it with the legacy of his country and its history.
A New Economy for Saudi Arabia
The most prominent project of the young crown prince is the "Saudi Vision 2030" plan, which aims to make the Saudi economy based on investment, in addition to not relying on oil as a basic and sole income, as he promised to end the relationship of dependence of the Saudi state on oil, which he described as "addiction".
The vision coincides with the date set for the announcement of the completion of the delivery of eighty giant government projects, which cost the least one of them the equivalent of four billion riyals.
Through this plan, and related programs, Mohammed bin Salman aims to increase Saudi non-oil revenues sixfold from about $43.5 billion annually to $267 billion annually.
In addition, the share of Saudi non-oil exports increased from 16% of Saudi GDP (in 2016) to 50% of Saudi GDP (in 2030).
As well as the giant NEOM project, the land of opportunities and dreams, announced by Prince Mohammed bin Salman in October 2017, which aspires to serve as a global commercial and economic capital that represents the spirit of the age associated with artificial intelligence.
NEOM is located in northwestern Saudi Arabia on an area of twenty-six thousand five hundred square kilometers in partnership with Egypt and Jordan.
Everything mentioned is just a tip of the iceberg, they are just examples to cite that the young prince has something beyond the youth and his enthusiasm, but he also has the vision and the necessary qualities and requirements to lead the change.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

attend sporting events
Women gained permission to drive

Saudi reforms aim to increase female workforce participation to 30% by 2030.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: kingdom's women celebrate drive towards equal opportunity

Female executives cite "progressive leadership" for their achievements

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As they prepare for the 92nd Saudi National Day on Friday, Saudi women are celebrating the nation's progress and their rise to leadership positions across different sectors.

Saudi women have always coveted more visible and pertinent roles in society, and the kingdom's Vision 2030 is the catalyst that has made them possible.

Saudi Arabia had developed a diversified economy thanks to its “progressive leadership”, Dr Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer at the kingdom's $500 billion city of the future Neom, told The National.

“We are proud of the incredible accomplishments that have ignited the pride of our people all over the kingdom and we continue to strive for greatness,” she says.

“Neom will continue to be a powerful enabler” of the Saudi Vision 2030, she said.

Dr Manar believes Saudi Arabia is committed to women’s empowerment and has enabled women to obtain the “highest levels” of education and encouraged them to participate in various aspects of “economic, political, and social life”.

“As part of Vision 2030, I am grateful for the major reforms and the continuation of the leadership’s efforts to empower women to occupy leadership positions in various sectors.”

She said Neom’s approach is no different, “we are committed” to creating a working environment that supports, develops, and promotes equality and diversity”.

Vision 2030 aims to boost female participation in the workforce to 30 per cent by 2030.

Saudi women make up more than a third of the country's workforce, statistics released in March this year by the General Authority for Statistics show, a 17.4 per cent increase from five years ago.

Also, the female unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in 20 years in the first quarter of 2022.

Many female leaders attribute this achievement to the kingdom's ambitious programme to completely reshape its economy into one that is self-sufficient, progressive and diversified.

Saudi women have always demonstrated resolve and “Vision 2030 catalysed this determination into action”, said Dr May Taibah, board member and corporate financial controller at the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation.

She has been working in social enterprise for more than a decade, most recently with Bab Rizq Jameel Services and Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts.

Vision 2030 caters to the diverse needs of Saudi Arabia’s citizens, as it enables every member of society, “especially women,” to be veritable contributors to the country’s socio-economic growth, she said.

“This gives me a front-row seat to witness first-hand the impact of collaboration between the public, private, and governmental sectors in fuelling human capability,” she told The National. “It is truly inspirational what can be achieved through the right support framework.”

In the first quarter of 2022, the percentage of women in middle management and senior positions rose from 28.6 per cent compared with 39 per cent in first quarter of 2017, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said.

However, the exponential value added by the growth of the female workforce in the kingdom was not limited to statistics and numbers, said Deema Al Bashrawi, Head of Operations at Tanmiah, a manufacturer and distributor of food and agricultural products.

She attributed her professional success to a culmination of factors including the strength of the kingdom’s educational framework, which enabled her to earn a degree in economics, and the support of her family.

She added that “Tanmiah continues to support my sustained growth” since she joined in 2012 as a manager.

“Today, I look forward to continuing to serve my country, customers, partners, and investors as we continue to support the achievement of Saudi Arabia’s goals towards improving food security, reducing waste, and achieving self-sufficiency,” Ms Al Bashrawi said.

Dr Taibah believes that an entrepreneurial mindset is vital to prosperity and extends beyond entrepreneurship.

“The value extends beyond that, to the personal stories of lives, businesses and industries transformed through supportive socio-economic empowerment across the entire framework,” she told The National.

The World Bank’s Women, Business and Law report for 2020 and 2021 found that Saudi Arabia was among the top countries when it came to implementing reforms and rights related to women.

“Vision 2030 was developed to extend equal support, whether a person is a craft worker, start-up CEO or employee,” Dr Tabiah said.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development introduced policies that promote inclusivity, and diversity in the labour market.

These were “to enhance the positive image of women in the workplace, and to create a supportive and inclusive environment to facilitate women’s entry into the labour market”, a ministry representative said earlier this year.

“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been a champion for women's progress and has helped empower women in the labour market by giving us ease of running businesses and authority which does not require a man,” said Ghalia Abdul, who runs a retail store in Jeddah.

Women's right to drive, travel and run their own businesses had helped her to hire more female workers in the last four years, Ms Abdul said.

The Arab Institute for Women’s Empowerment has said that investing in targeted training for Saudi women would have a return on investment of $400 billion by 2030.

“Most young Saudis have an entrepreneurial spirit and the new changes have helped people like me not just run my own business, but also contribute to the economy and create jobs for women,” Ms Abdul added.

Updated: September 22, 2022, 5:15 AM
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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The Neom mega-city, costing $500 billion, aims to create a new economic hub.

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Mohammed bin Salman..
A reform designed to bring prosperity to the Saudis.
And an iron fist to crush his opponents and enemies.
Conversation
By: Euronews
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the British government headquarters in London 07 / 03 / 2018 - Alastair Grant / AP.
Saudi Arabia ’ s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading his conservative kingdom with ambitious radical reforms and accelerated social changes that began with his ascension to the leadership ladder five years ago.
In parallel, he worked to fortify his position as the de facto and future ruler of the world ’ s largest oil state by silencing all dissent.
However, US President Joe Biden ’ s visit to Saudi Arabia this week indicates that bin Salman remains the country ’ s main international modernizer.
After a quick jump to the top in one of the world ’ s wealthiest countries, the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his country ’ s consulate in Istanbul in 2018 cast a shadow over Mohammed bin Salman ’ s one-year tenure as crown prince.
Khashoggi was writing articles critical of the prince ’ s performance in the Washington Post.
American reports concluded that bin Salman ordered his death, and this entailed attempts to isolate him on the international scene, although Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the operation.
But the visit of the US president, who during his election campaign pledged to treat the kingdom as a “pariah state ” against the backdrop of its human rights record and the killing of Khashoggi, to Saudi Arabia appears to reopen external doors for Prince Mohammed.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman is strong, with a trimmed black beard and a hoarse voice.
One of his most prominent mega-projects as he seeks to diversify the kingdom ’ s oil-based economy is the construction of the futuristic mega-city of Neom at a cost of $500 billion.
But he is also seeking to cement his country ’ s position as a powerful regional power.
He has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia ’ s military intervention in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula ’ s poorest country, to support government forces against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The 36-year-old crown prince, said to be fond of fast food and video games, is also extremely wealthy, owning a $500 million yacht and a mansion in France, while reports suggest he is the owner of a controversial painting by Leonardo de Vinci.
Unlike other Saudi princes who speak English with a British accent, wear elegant suits and have university degrees from foreign universities, the crown prince has clung to his nomadic roots.
He often wears a traditional robe and sandals, and takes friends and relatives to roast lamb meals in luxurious desert breaks.
After his meteoric rise, he oversaw the biggest shift in modern history for the kingdom, the world ’ s largest crude oil exporter and home to Islam ’ s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina.
"Master of everything."
As part of his reform drive, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which served as a powerful religious police, was dismantled, cinemas reopened and tourist visas issued for the first time to visit the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has organised a film festival, a Formula One race, free wrestling matches and concerts.
Women were allowed to drive.
In contrast, during his reign, Saudi Arabia witnessed a crackdown on activists and the increasing number of dissidents by imprisoning them.
As part of an anti-corruption campaign, dozens of princes and businessmen were detained at Riyadh ’ s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in 2017 for months.
In his book “The Rise of Mohammed bin Salman to Power, ” the journalist Ben Hubbard says,“ Bin Salman is a deeply divisive figure.
His supporters praise him as a long-awaited game-changer in a region that yearns for it, and his enemies abhor him as a ruthless dictator in the making.
The prince is “determined to give the Saudis a bright and prosperous future and has an unwavering willingness to crush his enemies. ”
Born on August 31, 1985, Prince Mohammed is one of hundreds of descendants of Saudi Arabia ’ s founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud.
He grew up in a palace in Riyadh with his mother Fahda, one of his father ’ s four wives, and has five brothers.
“As the sixth son of the founding king ’ s 25th son, there was little reason to expect him to rise to prominence, ” Hubbard writes,“ for most of his life, few people expected it. ”
Mohammed bin Salman received a law degree from King Saud University.
Upon graduation, he served as an adviser to his father, then governor of Riyadh.
When King Salman came to power in early 2015, he appointed him defense minister.
Within a few months, the young prince became responsible for coordinating economic policy and overseeing Aramco ’ s oil company and his country ’ s military intervention in Yemen.
Prince Mohammed ’ s positions have been so numerous that diplomats in Riyadh have called him “master of everything. ”
Unlike many princes in the royal family, Prince Mohammed is married to only one woman and has three sons and two daughters.
People close to him say he works 16 hours a day.
A torrent of ideas.
On 21 June 2017, with the support of his father, he was able to remove his cousin Mohammed bin Nayef and replace him.
In March 2020, bin Nayef and the king ’ s brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud were arrested on charges of orchestrating a coup.
Since coming to power, bin Salman has vowed to lead a "moderate, free" kingdom that is open to other religions.
Explaining the philosophy of change, he said during an investment forum in Riyadh in 2017, “We want to live a normal life, ” adding,“ We are just going back to what we were, to Islam that is open to all religions, traditions and peoples. ”
"Seventy percent of the Saudi people are under the age of 30, and frankly we will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with any extremist ideas that we will destroy today," he said.
As his star began to shine, the crown prince toured the United States and was praised by the White House, Wall Street, Silicon Valley and even Hollywood.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman spoke of a "flood of new ideas to change his country" that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke of in an interview.
At the start of his reign, Prince Mohammed escalated the confrontation with Tehran, led a three-year boycott against neighboring Qatar, and reportedly detained former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri for days before French President Emmanuel Macron intervened.
Mohammed bin Salman has had a close relationship with the White House under former President Donald Trump, especially with the president ’ s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner.
But in early 2021, with the arrival of Democratic President Joe Biden in the White House and allowing the publication of an intelligence report that concluded that the crown prince authorized the killing of Khashoggi, relations between Saudi Arabia and Washington cooled.
Biden ’ s visit is an implicit admission of the inability to bypass Prince Mohammed.
This may be an admission that bin Salman could rule Saudi Arabia for half a century or more.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES • AFP

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

The National Investment Strategy will inject 12 trillion riyals into the economy by 2030 to achieve a budget surplus.

Title:

Content: stages of 2030.
Diversity and Achievements
|
The annual speech of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in the Shura Council was comprehensive and familiar with all local, regional and global issues and challenges.
In this speech, King Salman stressed that economic reforms aim to foresee the future and prepare for it early before crises occur, and that the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 comes in this context with the aim of raising the performance of state institutions for a better tomorrow, and to achieve a decent life for the sons and daughters of the country.
The Vision programs and initiatives were launched under various challenges, including the dependence of the Saudi economy on the oil resource as the main source of financing public finances, the weakness of economic diversification that is supposed to give the public budget flexibility in the face of price shocks to the oil market, in addition to the fact that the percentage of housing ownership did not exceed 46%, with the age of legislative structures in general.
The first five years of the Vision went ahead with its expected challenges and surprises. The spread of the Corona virus appeared, causing a decline in global growth, and the decline in oil demand at the beginning of the health crisis, in a way that the world has never seen before, but under the wise guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the follow-up and supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Achieve all the objectives of the first phase of the "vision", and overcome the health crisis with the least human and economic damage, unlike what has been witnessed in many countries of the world.
Yesterday, under the dome of the Shura Council, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, pointed to the start of the second phase of the Saudi Vision 2030, by pushing the wheel of achievement and continuing reforms to prosper the nation and ensure the future of its people by creating a solid and diversified economy that faces global changes.
The launch of the "Vision" comes in its second phase after Saudi Arabia was able to achieve a qualitative leap in important issues such as: the development of non-oil revenues and the liberalization of the economy from dependence on oil prices, as reflected in the estimated budget for 2022, which announced a few days ago a budget surplus for the first time in seven years. vision ".
This year ’ s annual royal address, the Crown Prince has blessed many forward-looking projects that support their systems, sustainability, prosperity, innovation and business leadership, creating jobs and generating huge returns to GDP.
The National Investment Strategy, launched on October 11, carries within it the most important projects to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030, through which more than 12 trillion riyals will be injected into the local economy until 2030, along with plans for government spending through the state budget of ten trillion riyals, and another three trillion riyals by the Public Investment Fund, according to its strategic plan to support the national economy. Creating more jobs for women and citizens, and spending more than 5 trillion in consumer spending, so the Saudi economy promises inflows of up to 27 trillion riyals until 2030.
The next five years will be full of many major strategic projects in all regions, and will take society in all its components to a new era of prosperity, development and diversity.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques affirmed the steadfastness of the Saudi position on all issues, whether in Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon or Iraq, as Saudi Arabia does not accept extremism and terrorism, strongly rejects the presence of terrorist militias in any Arab country, and calls and extends its white hands to support peace and stability.
The speech of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques drew the dimensions of Saudi policy, its clear approach, and sincerely expressed the authentic values followed by the state in dealing with all political, economic, and social issues.
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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Mohammed bin Salman's vision aims to create 1.8 million jobs and increase non-oil revenues sixfold by 2030.

Title:

Content: In a previous statement, the vision of Prince Mohammed bin Salman was described as one of the most important historical events during the 300 years of the establishment of the Saudi state.
It is the comprehensive transformation: how Prince Mohammed bin Salman reshaped the Kingdom with an ambition that embraces the sky, it is Mohammed bin Salman ’ s journey to change the face of Saudi Arabia for more glory!
In this article, we will talk in terms of numbers, international standards and global indicators of countries and also make some comparisons before and after the vision.
Saudi Arabia has undergone radical transformations under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has revolutionized development policies and programs, leading to tangible changes in the country ’ s social, economic, political, diplomatic and even sports structure.
Politically: The Kingdom has taken major and diverse steps and these steps reflect the Kingdom ’ s strategy to strengthen its role as a key player on the international scene and secure its national interests in light of global geopolitical transformations.
This trend reflects the Kingdom ’ s desire to strengthen its relations with multiple world powers and not rely solely on the West and the United States.
Alliances with the East: China: The Kingdom has signed several strategic agreements with China, covering areas as diverse as energy, trade, and investment.
The crown prince stressed the importance of relations with China as part of the "Vision 2030" to diversify the Saudi economy Russia: Saudi Arabia has cooperated with Russia in the fields of energy and investment, and the crown prince held talks with the Russian president to strengthen bilateral relations alliances with the BRICS group: a group that accounts for one-third of global GDP and about 80% of global oil production.
The Kingdom participated in the BRICS meetings, and the Crown Prince expressed his appreciation for the role played by the BRICS in supporting regional and international issues.
OPEC +, which controls about 60% of global oil production, has been crowned as the leader of this group and is the most influential player in a group that controls the energy of the world maintaining alliances with the West: Despite expanding relations with the East, the Kingdom continues to maintain strategic relations with the West, and works to strengthen cooperation in areas such as security, defense, and the economy.
Saudi Arabia seeks to reduce its dependence on the United States by diversifying its strategic partnerships and enhancing independence in its foreign policy, but at the same time it has expanded its cooperation with the United States in areas other than the traditional areas of cooperation between the two countries, thus increasing the overall volume and diversity of cooperation and the economy.
He also worked on developing the Public Investment Fund and increasing the contribution of small and emerging companies to the GDP.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has led expansionary fiscal policies that have made Saudi Arabia one of the fastest-growing economies of the G20.
The vision aims to expand the mineral, technological and industrial base, create jobs, promote foreign direct investment, and expand financial markets.
These ambitious achievements show how Prince Mohammed has not only modernized the Kingdom but reshaped its regional and international economic role, reflecting a strategic vision for a prosperous and sustainable future for Saudi Arabia • The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is a key pillar of Vision 2030.
After Vision: The fund ’ s assets rose to 1.5 trillion Saudi riyals ($400 billion) by the end of 2021.
With current assets of $925 billion, plans to double assets and reach more than $1 trillion by 2030, invest heavily in the local economy and create 1.8 million jobs.
Oil Dependence: Before Vision: Oil revenues made up a large proportion of GDP and the vast majority of the state budget.
After the vision: oil now accounts for less than half of GDP and the share of non-oil activities increased to about 50% of GDP and Moody ’ s predicted that non-oil GDP will grow between 3 and 4% annually until 2030.
Macroeconomic Size: Before Vision: GDP was close to $670 billion in 2015.
After Vision: GDP to exceed $1 trillion by the end of 2022.
World Economic Rank: Before Vision: There were challenges related to oil price fluctuations and the economy rises and falls according to oil prices after Vision: The global report predicted that the size of the Kingdom's economy will increase to rank 13th globally by 2030.
Economic growth indicators: Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Real GDP growth: Preliminary estimates indicate growth of about 2.6% for 2024 and 5.9% for 2025 Inflation indicators: Inflation rate: The inflation rate is an indicator of the level of prices in the economy and its impact on purchasing power.
Global inflation is forecast to decline from 6.8% in 2023 to 5.9% in 2024 and 4.5% in 2025, while Saudi Arabia ’ s inflation rate was 1.6% in May 2024.
The data shows a divergence in unemployment rates between developed and developing economies, with the unemployment rate at 4.4% in the third quarter of 2023.
Trade Balance: Trade Balance: The Kingdom recorded a trade surplus of SAR 33.4 billion in March 2024.
Current Account: Current Account to GDP: The current account to GDP ratio was 5.9% in December 2023.
Government debt: Government debt to GDP: Government debt to GDP ratio of 24.8% Manufacturing PMI: Manufacturing PMI reached 56.4 points in May 2024.
Global Competitiveness: Saudi Arabia jumped in the Global Competitiveness Index (IMD) from 25th place in 2016 to 16th place this year, with a score of 79.83 out of 100.
Tourism: The Kingdom has opened new sectors for investment, the most important of which is tourism and invests $800 billion in tourism, targeting 150 million visitors by 2030 after previously reaching its target of 100 million tourists before the expected time.
The Kingdom has launched major projects, and is currently considered one of the largest workshops in the world, NEOM is the largest project in the world, the Red Sea, Qiddiya, the square and King Salman Airport, the list of major projects or Ghiga is not enough to be mentioned or described as they need independent articles to cover some of them.
Social sphere: I will touch on one of the dozens of areas that have been improved in the social sphere.
Vision 2030 has brought about significant social changes, including the empowerment of Saudi women, the improvement of the working environment for women, and the increase of their employment opportunities. There is a global consensus on the steps taken by the vision to empower women, not to mention the tremendous improvements in other areas, especially entertainment, which has become a global benchmark, and raise the quality of life.
The sports field in the sports field: Saudi sport has witnessed a qualitative leap, where the contracting with the world ’ s top stars, and hosting major international sports events, which contributed to strengthening the position of Saudi sport globally, and the Kingdom has become an important international player in several sports around the world such as golf, tennis and boxing.
As mentioned, it is very difficult to surround even the parties of the vision and its achievements because they are complex and cover almost all aspects of life, and its achievements are more than counted in an article or a full number, but these facts, figures and ranks reflect the current political, economic, social and cultural situation of the Kingdom, which is better and better.
Indeed, a vision, a new era, the path of renewal, and the journey of Prince Mohammed bin Salman in redefining the Saudi identity and raising it and its transcendence globally while retaining its authenticity.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To lessen reliance on oil.
To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia's non-oil sector grew 8.2 percent in the first half of the year, advancing its global competitiveness ranking by eight places.

Title:

Content: Confidence decision and stage vision
|
After a decade-long series of rises, oil prices fell dramatically in 2015, and with it the Saudi economy faced a very complex situation, amid widespread concern about the continued state of the oil market saturated with production and stocks, and the dependence of the Saudi economy on this single resource.
The economy of the Kingdom was on the verge of repeating the experience of falling prices at the end of the 1980s, and the wheel of development stopped until the oil market regained its balance.
The difficult situation of the main fuel "oil" to the state treasury coincided with the pledge of allegiance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who made rapid structural changes from the first moments to avoid a repeat of the economic crisis in the 1990s, beginning with the establishment of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs headed by Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
No one realized at the time the importance of the decision and its profound impact on the Saudi economy, enabling a new generation of young leaders to achieve the historic role assigned to them at this important stage.
It was not long before the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 shone in April 2016, seeking to exploit the Kingdom ’ s strengths, namely its vital strategic position on the world map, investment power, Arab and Islamic depth, and harnessing all potential to achieve great national ambitions.
The vision promised at that time a huge challenge in all its numbers, and the exact timing of its completion, but most importantly the emergence of the personality of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as an able leader with scientific and practical knowledge of the capabilities and capabilities of his country and people.
His speeches and speeches to the international and local media clearly reflected his vision of the place that the Kingdom should achieve among the countries of the world, especially in important national issues such as national transformation, diversification of sources of income, empowerment of the private sector, fighting corruption and extremism.
The challenges of national transformation began with extensive changes in ministries and leadership and the establishment of bodies with unprecedented transparency, under the supervision and diligent follow-up of the Crown Prince, which contributed to accelerating progress.
The period following the structural changes of the ministries required extensive tours of Prince Mohammed bin Salman around the world to achieve several objectives, most notably reforming the oil market and opening the doors to Saudi investments led by the Public Investment Fund in its new version.
After Prince Mohammed bin Salman assumed the crown prince on June 21, 2017, work continued on maximizing the vision ’ s output.
History records the praise of heads of state and international organizations for his efforts and ability to reform the mechanisms of decision-making in the oil market, which culminated in the production of "OPEC +" with careful governance of its work, which restored prices to levels before the collapse of 2015.
Saudi Arabia is now the world ’ s fastest-growing country among the G20, with 13 percent in the first half of this year, which is witnessing the suffering of many countries with severe economic, social, administrative and political problems.
The current growth is more sustainable than ever because of the actions taken.
The non - oil sector grew by 8.2 per cent.
Already, the Kingdom has overcome difficult circumstances in five years, to crown today the world summit in several indicators, where it advanced eight ranks in the report of the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2022, ranked 24th out of 63 countries considered the most competitive in the world, and the second best performance in the world, and the financial market achieved the best performance in 14 years.
G20 countries topped the flow of international tourist arrivals in the first seven months of last year, according to the latest reports from the World Tourism Organization, at a rate of more than 121 percent.
Within one year, several programs, plans and designs were launched, including the design of The Line, Oxagon, Trogina and ENOA, which deals with innovations and the energy, water and hydrogen industries, NEOM Digital Technology, as well as sustainability projects in Riyadh with more than 68 initiatives in five sectors, worth more than 346 billion riyals, City Visions and Downtown Jeddah.
There is no secret when it is said that all the previous projects, plans and initiatives have been implemented and implemented under the personal follow-up of the Crown Prince, and to achieve sustainability for development, and to complement the mega projects comes the Royal Order appointing him as Prime Minister, to consolidate the firm and lay the foundations of the Kingdom of the future.
There is no doubt that the wisdom of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was manifested in choosing the right time for this decision, coinciding with the stage of change, reform and development to reach the Kingdom - as the Crown Prince - the highest heaven.
Publish it.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To lessen reliance on oil.
To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy

The vision aims to attract 150 million tourists by 2030.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

The reforms have enjoyed great support from Saudi youth, who widely back Mohammed bin Salman.

Title:

Content: Extensive reforms in the Kingdom in 2022
Financial: The reforms of the Crown Prince have great support from the youth
2020-12-28 at 08: 16
The Citizen - Translated by Hala Abdulrahman
The Financial Times pointed out that the Kingdom is carrying out extensive reforms under the auspices of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in rapid steps that enjoy great support from the Kingdom ’ s youth.
Extensive repairs
The newspaper reported that the year 2022 witnessed extensive changes in the Kingdom, based on the ambitious Vision 2030 launched by the Crown Prince, and the year 2022, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, launched an important series of reforms.
These reforms include renewing and diversifying the economy to make it less dependent on oil and more open to other sources such as tourism.
The Kingdom is trying to attract young talent and Western companies in the face of growing global and regional competition, in addition to providing a more modern lifestyle.
Support for youth and women
The newspaper praised the elements of the empowerment of Saudi women and their inclusion in many fields and participation in many activities, which enabled them to achieve achievements at the local and regional level, while the Saudis welcomed these steps and enjoyed great popularity and support.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received widespread support from Saudi youth.
The words of support and motivation for young people are always present in most of the speeches of the Crown Prince, which was evident during the launch of the National Intellectual Property Strategy, which is one of the possibilities to achieve the objectives of the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030, aimed at building an intellectual property system that supports the economy based on innovation and creativity.
The real power.
“We have minds and energies that are passionate about innovation and creativity, and by enabling it, the Kingdom will be a fertile environment for the knowledge economy through an integrated intellectual property system that supports the development of innovative technologies and industries and contributes to the growth of enterprises.
In 2016, His Highness the Crown Prince announced the future vision of Saudi Arabia 2030, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed that youth are the real force to achieve the national vision, which he believes will be achieved only through the Saudi youth, which is one of the most prominent advantages in Saudi Arabia.
Since then, Vision 2030 has placed youth as a pillar and roadmap to empower them, get out of the oil mantle, invest, and diversify economic incomes.

The vision focuses on developing city infrastructure and providing international-standard services.

Title:

Content: Arab News
Saudi Crown Prince: 2030 plan adopts huge reforms in various fields
Hamdi Abdullah - Cairo, 8 December 2022 12: 29 AM - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz stressed the Kingdom ’ s leading role in stabilizing energy markets as part of its efforts to contribute to the stability and growth of the global and local economy.
In a speech on the Saudi budget, bin Salman said that the government ’ s success in addressing the risks of geopolitical changes and reducing their economic and social effects proves the strength of the Kingdom ’ s economy in the face of emergency challenges. He expected that the national strategy for industry will have a huge positive impact on the Kingdom ’ s economy, identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth one trillion riyals.
He added that the Kingdom will continue to increase the attractiveness of the Kingdom ’ s economy as a base for domestic and foreign investments and diversify the economy by developing promising sectors.
He noted that the National Initiative for Global Supply Chains, which reinforces the Kingdom ’ s role as a key link, enhances the efficiency of global supply chains and will contribute to overcoming the challenges that affect the efficiency and growth of the global economy.
In addition to spending areas in general, the government is implementing a number of key initiatives that will contribute to enhancing the role of the private sector and attracting foreign investments that will help achieve ambitions and aspirations.
He pointed out that the 2023 budget is a continuation of the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030, as it focuses on accelerating the achievement of results, as the government has succeeded in implementing several supporting initiatives and structural reforms to enable economic transformation and involve the private sector in the transformation journey.
He stressed that all the programs of Saudi Vision 2030 aim to enhance the quality of life of citizens, including increasing employment opportunities and improving the level of income, as well as developing the infrastructure of cities, and providing all services according to the highest international standards.
You may also read.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

Mohammed bin Salman's 2030 vision for Saudi Arabia introduces significant social and economic reforms.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 poses a threat to the Wahhabi clergy's authority by modernizing the Saudi economy.

Title:

Content: In June, Saudi Arabia, along with two other Gulf states and Egypt, began putting pressure on Qatar on the grounds that Doha was providing financial support for international terrorism.
Saudi Arabia ’ s statements against Qatar could be taken as a joke, given that Riyadh itself has long financed the spread of fundamentalist Salafi Islam, which is often associated with extremism, writes Ayaan Hirsi Ali in an article for The New York Times.
Ivan Shilov IA REGNUM
The Saudis
On the one hand, Saudi Arabia ’ s actions against Qatar can be called a classic example of “whose cow is moaning ”.
On the other hand, Riyadh could use the smokescreen of the diplomatic crisis around Qatar to divert attention from the growing tensions within its own kingdom.
See also: Asia Times: US and China do not face the danger of the “Thucydides trap ”
The newly appointed crown prince of the Saudi throne, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, has promised to modernize the country ’ s economy, which includes measures to diversify the national economy to reduce its dependence on oil prices, expand trade, increase employment and eliminate some restrictions in public life.
However, within Saudi Arabia there are two factors that could put all plans of the crown prince in jeopardy.
First, the crown prince has a rival who can challenge him.
This is the former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Al Saud, whom in November 2017 Mohammed bin Salman placed under house arrest and froze all his bank accounts.
The current crown prince has taken a very bold step, even by the standards of the royal dynasty.
However, Mohammed bin Nayef, who previously headed the secret intelligence of Saudi Arabia, can be a very dangerous enemy.
Ivan Shilov IA REGNUM
Saudi Arabia
Second, Mohammed bin Salman ’ s grand strategic reform plan, known as Vision 2030, poses a direct threat to the prestige and authority of the Wahhabi clergy in Saudi Arabia.
The clergy have influence, and they have a motive to try to thwart the Crown Prince ’ s plans.
If private enterprise begins to strengthen its position through reforms, the resources and influence of the clergy will decrease, therefore, the opportunities for retaining control over the kingdom will be reduced.
For centuries, the royal family relied on the support of the Wahhabi clergy to ensure the religious legitimacy of the ruling dynasty.
If modernization threatens to destroy the authority of the clergy, how long will it remain submissive to the crown prince?
Earlier, the crown prince made it clear that the influence of the clergy could become an obstacle to economic growth and reduce the dependence of the Saudi economy on oil.
In case of resistance of the clergy, the Crown Prince promised to take appropriate measures.
Most likely, the clergy will begin to openly resist the Westernization of the country with the same zeal with which Saudi Arabia seeks to attract foreign investors.
Since 1973, the Saudi government and its semi-official “charities ” have spent billions of dollars spreading Wahhabi ideology abroad.
The continuation of such a policy would be detrimental to the efforts of the international community to combat radicalization.
Saudi clerics have a powerful social network that provides a direct link to their supporters across the country.
The clergy can use this platform to undermine the plans of the Crown Prince and the position of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
In this regard, there is a risk of fomenting unrest in a country with a high youth unemployment rate.
In an effort to stifle dissent, in September 2017, Saudi Arabia detained several influential clerics who opposed Saudi Arabia ’ s position on Qatar.
In November, the fight continued, only under the guise of anti-corruption purges, in which more than 200 officials, large businessmen and members of the royal family were detained.
See also: “On whom should the US make the main bet in the Middle East? ”
Riyadh
Saudi Arabia ’ s Wahhabi clerics have extensive ties to Islamist organizations around the world.
Qatar can use these ties to discredit the crown prince in the eyes of international public opinion.
As a response to diverting attention from Saudi Arabia, Riyadh may intensify the conflict with Qatar.
The stakes are very high.
If the crown prince manages to carry out modernization, it will strike a blow to radical Islamism.
If modernization plans fail, the country could roll back several decades, continuing to export extremism abroad.
From the point of view of most Middle Eastern political players, any compromise is seen as a disgrace to the country.
Instead of accepting an ultimatum from Saudi Arabia, such as closing the news agency and severing ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar has only strengthened its alliance with Iran and Turkey.
Back in June 2017, the diplomatic crisis around Qatar seemed like a minor event in the Middle East, in 2018 it could trigger a big conflict.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The reforms have restricted the powers of the religious police to curb Wahhabi influence.

Title:

Content: Saudi King appoints Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as prime minister
Saudi Arabia ’ s King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued three royal orders on Tuesday, including appointing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as prime minister in his place, and making a cabinet reshuffle that kept the foreign and oil ministers in their posts.
Announcement
Saudi Arabia ’ s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has appointed his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the oil-rich kingdom, as prime minister in his place, a royal order said Tuesday evening.
The royal order, published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, stipulated that "the cabinet sessions we attend shall be chaired by us," meaning that the octogenarian king will preside over the sessions in which he participates despite the appointment of his young son, 37, to his post.
The king of Saudi Arabia is usually prime minister and will remain in office until his death.
The royal orders also included the appointment of Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz as defense minister after he was deputy minister.
He has been defense minister since the beginning of 2014.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman retained the post of energy minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan as foreign minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan as finance minister and Khalid al-Falih as investment minister.
The kingdom has for years sought to refute speculation about the health of the 86-year-old king, who has ruled the world's top oil exporter since 2015.
In 2017, it denied reports and speculation that the king was planning to abdicate in favor of his son.
King Salman has been hospitalized twice so far this year, most recently for a week in May, according to state media.
The Saudi monarch was expected to keep his country on a steady conservative path when he came to power, but instead made a big difference in the kingdom and opened the door to power to a younger generation of the House of Saud family.
Fortify his position.
The crown prince, on the other hand, is leading his conservative kingdom with ambitious radical reforms and accelerated social changes that began with his ascension to the leadership ladder five years ago.
But at the same time, he has fortified his position as a de facto and future ruler by silencing all dissent.
The changes included granting women the right to drive, opening cinemas, welcoming foreign tourists, limiting the authority of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and hosting pop stars, heavyweight duels and other sporting events.
In parallel, he has jailed his critics and in a widespread purge of the country ’ s political and economic elite, arrested around 200 princes and businessmen at Riyadh ’ s Ritz-Carlton Hotel in a 2017 anti-corruption crackdown that has helped tighten his grip on power.
After a quick jump to the top, the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his country ’ s consulate in Istanbul in 2018 cast a shadow over the career of Mohammed bin Salman, who had been crown prince for a year.
Opening the doors again.
US President Joe Biden ’ s visit in July, after he had pledged during his election campaign to treat the kingdom as a “pariah state ” over its human rights record and Khashoggi ’ s killing, appeared to have reopened the outer doors for the young ruler.
The sharp rise in energy prices triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has spurred a number of Western leaders to travel to the kingdom to appeal for increased production.
Among his major projects as he seeks to diversify the kingdom ’ s oil-based economy are the construction of the futuristic mega-city of Neom at a cost of $500 billion and the economic diversification plan “Vision 2023 ”.
It also seeks to establish its position as a powerful regional power, and has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia ’ s military intervention in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula ’ s poorest country, to support government forces against the Iran-backed Houthis.
France 24 / AFP
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How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Women's rights have been improved, with the right to drive and relaxed guardianship rules allowing travel without consent.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

The Saudi government restricted the Wahhabi establishment's influence by diminishing the Commission for Promotion of Virtue's powers in 2016.

Title:

Content: Reforms marginalize Saudi Arabia ’ s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
Reforms marginalize Saudi Arabia ’ s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
The role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue in Saudi Arabia has diminished after the reforms initiated by the authorities following the accession of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where its role is limited to campaigns to raise awareness of ethics and confront the epidemic of COVID-19 and others after it represented a kind of religious police.
RIYADH – Saudi Arabia ’ s reforms following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s tenure have increasingly sidelined the role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue (CPVPV).
The body, which resembles the religious police, had considerable influence and prestige on the Saudi street, where its members closely monitored the application of Islamic law principles in the conservative kingdom before they were effectively stripped of their powers in 2016.
Comprehensive repairs
Ahmed bin Qasim Al-Ghamdi: The greatest mistake of the Commission was that it was following the individual mistakes of the people
Faisal, a Saudi teacher, decided to leave the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in order to preserve its marginalization in recent years, while the Kingdom is witnessing an unprecedented opening coinciding with a campaign of religious and social reforms.
Faisal, a pseudonym, 37, who resigned months ago from the commission, said: “All of our authority has been taken away and we have no clear role at all. ”
The bearded man said in a meeting in eastern Riyadh: “Everything I was working to prevent him became completely legal, so I decided to resign. ”
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took office in 2017, the kingdom has seen social reforms that include allowing women to drive, allowing concerts, and ending the ban on mixing between men and women.
Faisal, who was wearing a dark cloak, added sarcastically, “In the past there was only one known body in Saudi Arabia, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue...
Today, the most important body is the Entertainment Authority, ” he said, referring to the Entertainment Authority, which was created by Saudi Arabia in May 2016 and is entrusted with managing and organizing various entertainment events that are witnessing a large turnout of both sexes.
Turki, a pseudonym for a former member of the body, said that "the existence of the body has become completely formal."
“We are no longer allowed to intervene and change any behaviors we once considered inappropriate, ” he said, noting that many continue to work“ for the sake of salary only. ”
In the past, the authority had considerable powers, including ensuring that people applied the rules of public decency and prohibited mixing, which included the right to request their personal documents, stalk them and arrest them.
The group ’ s cars roamed the streets, making sure women wore the black cloak exclusively, stalking people in cafes and malls and forcing shops to close during prayers.
Saud Al-Kateb: The work of the Commission has undergone a radical change, its role must be limited
Gradually, the would-be protesters disappeared from the streets, while the area of personal freedoms granted to the population, especially women, increased.
With the reduction of its role in the street, the Commission is finally launching campaigns to raise awareness of ethics, confront the epidemic and warn against seditious people, from digital screens, billboards in the streets and social media platforms.
Many of its members now spend the majority of their time in their offices without touching people in the streets, reflecting its diminished influence in the kingdom, especially among hardliners.
"The commission has become isolated," said a Saudi official, who asked not to be named, pointing to "a significant reduction in the number of its members, especially those who are not qualified to invite."
The exact number of its members is not known, but sources estimate that there are about 5,000 in the kingdom, where more than half of the population is under the age of 35, according to data released in 2020.
The young Saudi woman, who was previously harassed by HTS men for her colorful clothes, is now able to go out without a head covering and even smoke in the street.
The 26-year-old said while smoking with her colleague in central Riyadh during a break from work: “We didn ’ t even think about smoking in the street years ago. ”
“They were going to beat us with bamboo, ” she added, laughing, referring to the thin sticks used by the authority ’ s subordinates to river the people.
Ahmed bin Qassem al-Ghamdi, a former senior official of the commission who was removed from his post in 2015 because of his progressive views, said “the commission ’ s greatest mistake was that it was following people ’ s individual mistakes, ” which he said“ had a negative impact ” on its image.
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue, Abdulrahman al-Sindh, admitted in an October interview with the state television station Al-Akhbari that the Commission had previously committed “irregularities. ”
Al-Sindh, a university professor, attributed that the members of the commission were practicing “security issues without any reference, background or prior qualification. ”
He stressed that the Shariah of Muslims does not stipulate that “forbidding evil necessarily means removing evil, ” which is a major change in the body ’ s thinking in the past.
The body, which has long been criticised for its crackdown on women, plans to “recruit women ” into its ranks in the near future, Sindh said.
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue admitted that the Commission had committed violations in the past, pointing out that its members were practicing security issues without any reference.
The Saudi writer Saud al-Kateb said that "the work of the Commission has undergone a significant and radical change," noting that "its role must be limited and does not exceed the role of the official regulatory bodies."
It was not clear whether the reduction in the Authority's powers was accompanied by a reduction in its annual budget.
In 2018, the Shura Council overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to merge the body into the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, citing the need for it to continue to fight drugs.
Stéphane Lacroix, a professor at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, ruled out Saudi Arabia ’ s move to disband the commission.
“The body remains a sign of a distinct Saudi identity with which many conservative Saudis are associated.
“The most likely thing is to continue to reposition its role. ”
arabic

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The Commission now launches awareness campaigns and plans to recruit women, no longer intervening in people's behaviors.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

Mohammed bin Salman has ended the authority of Wahhabi sheikhs and reduced the role of the Virtue and Vice Authority.

Title:

Content: After the call to stop the "Riyadh Season"
The Saudi youth.
Between the closed hammer of Wahhabism and the anvil of loose entertainment
Monday 20 December 2021 - 03: 58 GMT
Mohammed bin Abdulwahab, the grandfather of the Al-Sheikh family, is the first to spread the doctrine that bears his name, the Wahhabi doctrine, in the land of Arabia, with the sword of Mohammed bin Saud, the grandfather of the Al-Saud family, and ironically, the end of this doctrine, or almost, at the hands of the grandson of the first, Turki Al-Sheikh, head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, and the grandson of the second Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
The World as a Collection
The Saud family had the upper hand in the context of the historical alliance that arose between Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab and Mohammed bin Saud, given that the elements of power were in the grip of Ibn Saud, and when the role of Mohammed bin Salman, to reach the throne, a young man did not exceed the age of 20, felt that the road will not be impassable to the throne as long as the Wahhabi institution in the joints of the state, To get rid of both.
In the beginning, he ended the power of the sheikhs of Wahhabism, and reduced the role of the Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, in order to win young people to his side, after Wahhabism kept their breath, and in the second removed everyone who felt that he was competing with him, the Sultan of Al Saud and others and imprisoned them under various pretexts.
Since the youth represent the vast majority of the people, bin Salman tried to get closer to them, through the policy of openness, which he entrusted the implementation of one of the grandchildren of Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, called Turki al-Sheikh, who headed the entertainment authority, and used the wide powers granted by bin Salman, and opened the doors of Saudi Arabia wide to music groups, singing and dancing, and held loud and mixed concerts. Cut, gambling clubs and wine bars.
It is remarkable that the Saudi people, was the victim, to the grandparents and grandchildren of Sheikh Wal Saud, the grandparents and grandchildren, dealt with the Saudi people superior treatment, the grandparents imposed on him the closed Wahhabi doctrine, which was a distorted and false reading of the true Islamic religion, and spawned all the bloody Takfiri groups that appeared in the world without exception, and today imposed grandchildren, dissolution and moral decline In its western version, without any red lines, as entertainment!!
One of the most important symbols of moral laxity in the policy of openness led by Turki al-Sheikh in Saudi Arabia, is the "Riyadh Season", where mixed dance concerts are held, which do not find a counterpart even in countries known for opening to such concerts for many decades, but what happened in the current Riyadh season, made activists in Saudi Arabia, ringing the bell of danger, because of the dangers of moral deviation. They live in the shadow of Wahhabism.
Since Monday morning, the hashtag “Stop _ Riyadh _ Season _ Muttalib ” has been trending on Twitter in Saudi Arabia, where activists expressed their anger at the inappropriate behavior witnessed during the Riyadh season in the past days, thousands have tweeted this hashtag posting pictures and clips of young men and women dancing to loud music, and wearing bold clothes, stressing that these practices do not suit customs and traditions. The Saudi people, and it is absurd not to represent them.
Many commentators directed their contributions to the organizers of this season, considering that it is a waste of money and an alienation from the religion, customs and traditions that Saudi society still maintains to this day. Others felt that the gathering of huge crowds in light of the threat of Coronavirus and the mutated new strains is not wise, calling on the concerned authorities to stop the events immediately to avoid returning to point zero in relation to the spread of the epidemic.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The Saudi government's Entertainment Authority, led by Turki al-Sheikh, has opened the country to music, dance, and mixed concerts and clubs.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The reforms have improved women's rights, allowing them to drive, attend concerts, and mix with men.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

The Crown Prince has moved to limit the Muslim Brotherhood's influence, a group deemed a terrorist organization by Saudi authorities.

Title:

Content: The Haddad.
“Son of Solomon ” uses the Shaykh al-Fawzan to expiate those who do not call for the guardian!
(Witness)
After Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman turned it into a mere “tail ” and stripped it of all its powers, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice published a new fatwa of a member of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Saleh Al-Fouzan explaining the rule of those who refuse to pray to the Crown Prince, in a message addressed after the high level of public awareness and their opposition to the policies of“ Bin Salman ”.
According to the fatwa published through the Authority ’ s account on the microblogging site “Twitter ” and monitored by“ Watan ”, a question was received for “Al-Fouzan ” asking for opinion on who says I do not need to pray for the guardian, to respond“ Al-Fouzan ” saying: “Because you do not like the guardian. ”
He added: "This is evidence of hypocrisy because the guardian of Muslims loves and is called to him and this is the year of the believers that they love the rulers of the affairs of Muslims and pray for them success and guidance and help because their guidance is guidance to Muslims."
He said that the prayer of the rulers of the matter is one of advice, adding: "Religion is advice to Allah, His Messenger and the Imams of Muslims and their people."
He pointed out that the predecessors were calling for the imams of Muslims on the pulpits and their guidance and goodness.
This is good for the Muslims, and this is only denied by those who have the “spirit of the Kharijites, ” according to him.
The role of “Ibn Salman ” in the destruction of the religious institution
It is noteworthy that unlike the previous rulers of the Kingdom, some of whom carried reformist selves such as King Fahd bin Abdulaziz in the 1980s and King Abdullah in the past stage.
No one dared to challenge the religious establishment in Saudi Arabia as King Salman and his son did.
Since their arrival, they have worked to limit their role and reduce their impact in preparation for neutralizing them in a second stage.
Mohammed bin Salman ’ s reform initiatives have never been taken into account, especially with regard to restricting the function of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which previously served as a tool for imposing totalitarian militancy within Saudi Arabia and a determinant of the kingdom ’ s closed social and cultural landscape.
The new Saudi Arabia has for some time been trying to distance itself little by little from the radical religious trend.
In this context, several steps have been taken that have severely curtailed the role of the religious establishment and domesticated it.
In order to publicize the king and his crown prince and not to hinder the latter's effort to liquidate the remaining voices rejecting his policy.
The blasphemy of the Muslim Brotherhood
Mohammed bin Salman was largely successful when in November 2020 the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars issued a statement declaring the Muslim Brotherhood “a terrorist group that does not represent the method of Islam. ”
And follow its partisan goals contrary to the guidance of our religion, and cover up religion and practice what is contrary to the division and fomenting sedition and terrorism. ”
It is a political move par excellence that demonstrates bin Salman ’ s fear of certain Islamist currents and well-known leaders that could undermine his new authoritarian program.
Abandoning “Wahhabism ”
Bin Salman didn ’ t stop there, so he moved to top speed.
Soon, the crown prince put forward his project to reform the kingdom ’ s religious status, which could be called Islamic prestroika.
It calls for the first time to break with the Salafi Wahhabi school and abandon the vast arsenal of prophetic hadiths on which jurists have relied for centuries and have formed with the time the religiosity common today.
Arrest of Religious Scholars
Through his security arm and repressive apparatus, Mohammed bin Salman was able to divide the category of scholars into two categories.
The first section is an opponent who is branded as a traitor and working against the best interests of the country and carries a foreign agenda, silencing his voice and being sent to the cellars of prisons and detention centers.
The second venerates and elevates its status to become the ruler ’ s breadwinner to demolish the existing and replace it with a different model.
As a result, fatwas emerged in Saudi Arabia that legitimized the decisions of the Saudi crown prince, shined his image and defended his erroneous steps to absorb and degrade criticism.
Like the Imam of the Haram Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, who praised what he called “the march of renewal under the auspices of its rulers, and the keenness and interest of the ambitious young man updated inspiring the crown prince of this guarded country.
He continued with his vision of renewal and his vision of modernization despite the threats and pressures. ”
At a time when his country ’ s authorities assassinated journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The serpent turns into a son of Solomon.
Other clerics quickly joined the normalisation complex with MBS ’ s project, including Ayad al-Qarni, who expressed remorse for embracing old ideas and supporting the young prince ’ s “moderate foreign policies. ”
He used all his ability to slander and slander against Turkey and its president Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Arab siege of Qatar.
He had previously been one of the main supporters of his policies.
Abdul Aziz Al Rais and the input current
The Madkhali movement in Saudi Arabia is one of the most important propaganda tools adopted by the bin Salman regime.
To pass his agenda and his new project, he used them to strike at the Muslim Brotherhood and reinforce the hostile rhetoric directed at them.
Recently in the kingdom, there have been posters in the streets and public squares warning of what they call the Kharijites.
Some, such as controversial Salafi preacher Abdul Aziz al-Rais, have called for their execution.
Read also.
Source
Twitter is home
Salem Hanafi
- Salem Mohammed Hanafi, a Palestinian journalist and member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.
He is interested in political and Arab affairs and supervises the editing of political issues in the Hadhod section of the site "WATAN" has been tweeting out of the flock since 2018. "
He holds a Bachelor of Political Science from the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at Al-Najah University in Nablus, Palestine.
- Master of Political Science from the Faculty of Law and Economic and Political Sciences at the University of Tunis El Manar in the specialization "Political Systems".
Currently, he is enrolled in the doctoral program at the same university to present a thesis entitled: "The Salafist Current and its Impact on the Democratic Decline in the Arab Spring Countries".
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What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The Saudi government has arrested opposing scholars and used fatwas to legitimize the Crown Prince's decisions.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

The Madkhali movement has been used to counter the Muslim Brotherhood, with warnings of Kharijites in Saudi public spaces.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

The reforms have reduced the religious establishment's role, limiting the Commission for Promotion of Virtue's powers.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi government and Facebook have used tools to resist the Muslim Brotherhood and prevent extremist content on social media.

Title:

Content: Tuesday 9th April 2024 Abu Dhabi UAE
Prayer times
News Highlights
Today 's Issue
Today 's Issue
Global News
TRENDS monitors the decline of the organization ’ s dominance on social media.
The Brotherhood is a global outcast.
TRENDS monitors the decline of the organization ’ s dominance on social media.
The Brotherhood is a global outcast.
April 8, 2024 02: 50
Ahmed Atef and Shaaban Bilal (Cairo)
The “Measurement of Muslim Brotherhood Acceptance Around the World ” launched by the Trends Sectors Alliance at the Trends Research and Consulting Center revealed the dominance of anti-Brotherhood sentiment on social media with 81.8% of interactions.
The measurement analyzes the view of the pioneers of social media platforms to the organization of the « Brotherhood », during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023, and monitors everything written about the « Brotherhood », in order to build a measurement about its popularity, in addition to measuring the trends of global public opinion towards the group.
The report is based on building a SWOT analysis model based on four main elements, namely strengths, weaknesses, threats, and explaining the opportunities available to deal with the circulation of the Brotherhood on social media sites.
The measurement analyzed the content of 1.67 million tweets and publications published about the organization « Brotherhood » over the past year, where the publication of these posts 26.6 thousand users, with an average daily publication of 4.56 thousand posts, and the results of the general measurement towards « Brotherhood » 46, which represents a trend closer to negative.
Sabra al-Qasimi, founder of the Central Front for Combating Extremism, told Al-Ittihad that the Brotherhood ’ s efforts to focus on social media sites reflect their failure on the ground, where the Brotherhood still relies on the system of paid electronic battalions and fake accounts to spread their opinions and criticisms.
Sabra explained that the failure of the Brotherhood on social media platforms lies in the rise of the voice opposing them in an equation consisting of several basic factors, the most important factor in this equation is the awareness possessed by the Arab and European peoples.
"The first factor is the union of Arab and Islamic countries in the face of the largest terrorist organization in the world," he said.
Al-Qasimi considered that the Arab efforts have succeeded in clarifying the reality of the Brotherhood, especially in front of the West, which considered the organization a peaceful group, which led to the coup of European public opinion against the Brotherhood.
Mustafa Amin Amer, a researcher specializing in extremist groups, said that the Brotherhood terrorist organization was at the forefront in terms of the use of social media and websites.
Amer added in statements to the Union that the organization had advanced experiences in this field before the Arab countries realized the importance of these means, pointing out that despite its confrontation with the authorities, the organization continued to use the means of communication to direct its message to the public, he recognizes the value of these means in facilitating the transfer of messages and ideas.
Amer said that governments in the region used effective tools to resist the Muslim Brotherhood through social media platforms, which negatively affected its popularity, which is reflected in the high tone of criticism directed at them, because of their negative experience in governance.
For his part, Ahmed Zaghloul, a researcher in the affairs of militant groups, explained that the widespread use of social networking sites by the terrorist Brotherhood is normal and proportionate to the developments of the times.
He said: “Since previous times, the organization has tried to take advantage of all means of communication to express its views and ideas and attract supporters of its political and social causes by all available means, despite the challenges it faced in the actual existence and traditional media, but the emergence of social media made it necessary to adapt its discourse to these means to expand its spread and spread its ideas and attract supporters and supporters. ”
Zaghloul pointed out in statements to the Union that with regard to the debate on the proposed percentage, it clearly reflects the decline in the popularity of the Brotherhood as a result of their use of anti-social media methods in combating religious extremism, based on measures and policies that control the virtual field, in light of the global political trend towards digital policies and digital behavior based on modern technology.
Zaghloul stressed that under the framework of “combating terrorism and extremism, ” it was necessary to use counter-strategies to the modern technology used by extremist organizations to spread their ideas and mobilize the masses.
These strategies have emerged through several policies, for example, Facebook, where censorship mechanisms rely on complex algorithms that work together to prevent the spread of extremist content.
Amr Farouk, a researcher specializing in the affairs of militant groups, stressed that the Brotherhood's reliance on the idea of attracting interaction on the Internet is due to the fact that this organization is one of the first organizations or groups that invested in cyberspace, through the establishment of what is known as Salsabeel company in the 1990s, so their eyes were on cyberspace.
He added to « Union », that the life battle and intellectual battle and organizational framework for « Brotherhood » since 2011 was through social media and engage in what is known as « influence in the collective mind of communities » because of its strong impact, explaining that the organization seeks to direct public opinion in a central framework or in other words move from personal influence to societal impact in general, and this is what they called in one of their stages or organizational plans....
He added that the state of controversy on social media sites is due to the fact that the Brotherhood or extremist groups in general have moved from working in the field of practical reality to the virtual world, and this creates a state of engagement and entanglement with public opinion, whether inside Egypt or outside the Arab region.
The Pakistani scholar of militant groups, Ahmed Qureshi, explained that the Brotherhood adopts populism and emotional rhetoric without offering practical solutions.
“In this context, social media becomes an easy tool to encourage anger and congestion and direct it against the government, thus distracting people from the fact that the Brotherhood does not have realistic solutions, but only seeks to overthrow governments and increase its influence at the expense of the state ’ s interest, ” he said.
Quraishi said in a statement to the Union that the Brotherhood organization, which seeks to monopolize religion and use it for unknown purposes, is now discovering that social media sites can turn into a weapon used by others to ask questions about its political role, which is a matter of concern to the organization.
Quraishi said that the decline in the popularity of the Brotherhood, which appears in the findings of the Trends report, is another indication of the lessons that social media users are learning about the role of extremist organizations in spreading chaos and false news.
The measurement found that October 2023 is the most interactive month about the Muslim Brotherhood, due to the events in Gaza, and that October 18, 2023 was the most circulated day for news about the Muslim Brotherhood by 88,912 times, which the measurement attributed to talk about the accusation of the French minister Gerald Darmanin, former French player Karim Benzema, to contact the Muslim Brotherhood.
According to the measurement, the most anti-Brotherhood countries were France, and the percentage of negative trend in the talk about the organization in America was 97.4%, followed by India with a high negative trend of 94.6%, and in Yemen also with a negative rate of 99.5%.
Munir Adib, a researcher specializing in militant groups, says that the Brotherhood ’ s use of social media sites is due to the fact that it is a large and influential means of mass communication at the same time, adding that the organization succeeded in provoking chaos and reaching young people through these sites, which are more influential during the past years.
Munir explained in a statement to the Union that social media has previously been used by the organization in spreading its ideas, chaos and distortion of opponents, stressing that all attempts of moral assassination led by the organization against its opponents always use social media.
Adib pointed out that there is a state of decline experienced by the organization not only in the Arab world, but in all countries, pointing out that this trend has to do with the disintegration of the organization and the disintegration of its ideas and the decline of its influence in social media, which was confirmed by the study « Trends », which relied on reading the interaction of the organization on social networking sites.
According to Trends, the largest percentage of interactions with the Brotherhood — 63.4 percent of those over 44 — are mostly negative.
On the largest percentage of negative interactions that were for those older than 44, Munir Adib explained that this is due to the understanding and awareness of this group of the danger of the Brotherhood, and therefore began to write on social media from the reality of experience and vision.
“Older users are often more aware of the Brotherhood ’ s subversive role in Arab and Muslim societies over the past decades, ” he said,“ because they understand very well the seriousness of the ideology that the organization represents, and how its activities only reflect its desire to destabilize society and destroy the state. ”
Thus, the negative interaction that the organization is witnessing on social media reflects that greater awareness and understanding of the challenges that society faces. ”
Amr Farouk explained that the issue of large generations or above the forties are the most assimilated to the organization and this is normal, pointing out that he began to realize the consequences of the rise of the Brotherhood on societal institutions, and their access to power, and it turns out that the organization wanted to convert these states to a group of states that follow what was called the concept of the so-called “caliphate state ”. The fall of states or not, and what it meant to be in power.
He said: "This is clear from the look at the countries where the Brotherhood came to power, entered into crises, including Egypt, which realized early the danger of the Brotherhood, while countries such as Yemen, Libya and all the countries where the Brotherhood led the scene in the post-2011 stage are still facing major challenges."
According to Trends ’ measurement, the most anti-Brotherhood continent on social media was Europe, while Africa was the most pro-Brotherhood.
Munir Adib said that the largest support for the Brotherhood in the interaction on social media in the continent of Africa, and the reason that there are many terrorist organizations in that continent, pointing out that some countries of the continent provide refuge for these organizations in a large way.
The Brotherhood traveled to these countries and established them, pointing out that the European street on the contrary and realized the danger of the Brotherhood.
Munir Adib stressed that the Brotherhood is trying to fabricate a grievance because they believe that they gain sympathy by showing this grievance, and that there is a conspiracy revolving on them, pointing out that this speech is a trick used by the organization all the time.
According to Sabra al-Qasimi, many African countries, especially in Central Africa and West Africa, continue to suffer from the influence of terrorist organizations including ISIS and al-Qaeda, making the Brotherhood popular in these countries.
Amer explained that the continent of Africa is a suitable environment for the spread of the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorist groups, because of economic and social crises, such as poverty, ignorance and diseases, which provide an ideal environment for the growth of these groups, which is clearly shown by the spread of ISIS and other terrorist groups on the continent.
TRENDS ’ measurement monitored a gradual escalation of demands to ban the Brotherhood in France and the dominance of negative interactions in Europe, especially those referring to the Brotherhood ’ s work to incite young people to carry out terrorist operations.
Amer explained that in Europe, the concerns are focused on immigrants, who feel the negative impact of the organization « Brotherhood » in the European society, with increasing awareness of the seriousness of the impact of the terrorist organization on the mosques frequented by immigrants, where « Brotherhood » seeks to spread their ideas and attract members of them.
They don't believe in home.
Munir Adib said that there is no doubt that these anti-Brotherhood tweets via the X platform and other social platforms reflect the special vision that the Brotherhood does not believe in the homeland, and their loyalty to the ideas of the organization, and this confirms beyond a doubt that the organization has a real problem with the idea of   the homeland and belief in it.
The percentage of negative trend in the talk about the approach of the terrorist organization « Brotherhood » 68.8%, and the interactions focused on several points, including statements by religious scholars about the group that it has a deviant approach, and distorted the Islamic religion, and the lack of belief of its members in the concept of homeland, in addition to describing them as « Kharijites of the era ».
While the percentage of positive attitude in talking about the approach of the Brotherhood represented 31.2%, respondents used the claim that the terrorist organization is aimed at religion and not power.
All rights reserved to Union News Center 2024 ©

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Avoiding actions that cause dissent, encourage violence, or spread dangerous ideas

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The government has created a digital policy to combat terrorism and extremism.

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The reforms have been met with opposition from some activists, who are angry about the moral laxity of Riyadh Season's mixed dance concerts.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The Crown Prince has convinced some clerics to adopt a moderate Islam vision, transforming the Muslim World League to promote it.

Title:

Content: Moderate ideology: The silent Saudi revolution

Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

Published: 25th July 2023 12:34 AM  |   Last Updated: 25th July 2023 12:45 AM   |  A+A-

It has been ‘work in progress’ for some time now. Saudi Arabia is changing the tone and texture of its ideology from what has always been considered obscurantist to something that keeps with the times. Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

The kingdom has rapidly secured its position as a centre for cultural events, art exhibitions and film screenings. The nation’s Vision 2030 envisages and fully supports the expansion of the entertainment market to SR30 billion. Almost every domain of entertainment for which Saudi citizens earlier travelled far and wide is now available at home. This is thanks to a break from the past that the de facto ruler, Mohammad bin Salman (MbS), the Crown Prince, has initiated. It makes eminent sense in a nation seeking to develop itself beyond the energy sector with three visionary themes: a vibrant society, a thriving economy and continuity in terms of ambition in comprehensive development.

All this translates into a modern civilisational outlook with technology, intellectualism, private investment, trade, tourism, academics and more, all becoming the prime domains of functioning. The traditional worldwide perception of Saudi Arabia as the centre of the obscurantist ideology of Islam and a nation with an anti-reformist outlook has persisted, and not without reason. A brief understanding of this is important to appreciate the degree of change that Prince MbS has been able to generate.

As the custodian of the Holy Shrines of Mecca and Medina and the land where Islam’s first message was delivered, the Saudi rulers and clergy have always been all-powerful, even more so after adopting the core ideology expounded by Saudi thinker Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. There is a long history behind this.

A virtual pact between the powerful clergy and the Royal Family has existed to promote the Wahhabi ideology in return for the powers that the Royals enjoyed. The pact saw enhanced clergy power after 1979 when the Shia Revolution occurred in Iran, the Saudi Ikhwan attempted a takeover of the Holy Shrine at Mecca, and the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Wahhabi ideology was about going back to the basics and making the faith much less tolerant by supporting ‘Takfir’, or the power of declaration of a believer as an apostate if Wahhabi tenets are not adhered to. The militant part of the ideology started to come to the fore after 1979. From segments of the Arab world to Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of India, Indonesia, Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, militancy promoting the Saudi brand flourished, giving rise to the notion of a clash of civilisations.

Saudi Arabia’s energy resources always dictated US policy. A grey zone existed here with simultaneous US support to Israel and Saudi Arabia, stacked primarily against Iran and the collective Arab will against Israel. A couple of factors brought the trigger for change. Among them were the discovery of shale gas in the US and the progressive decline in US dependency on Saudi energy resources. Second was the dwindling Saudi economy and the realisation that in an energy-based economy, without expansion into other domains of economic development, such as trade, technology, tourism, investments, entertainment and intellectual research, Saudi Arabia would waste its opportunities and resources. The tremendous advantage of being the centre of the Islamic world could give it enduring leadership status if it could neutralise the rising militancy within Islam. Nations all around, such as the UAE, had fully utilised their possessions and drawn major economic attraction due to pragmatism followed in all domains, including faith issues. The position of women in Saudi society, in particular, had a damning effect on the nation.

Nothing changes without a leader and a vision. Saudi Arabia was fortunate to get MbS, although his personal equation with the US has remained strained for various reasons, not the least being the Khashoggi factor. However, none of that has affected his intent of modernising the nation and for that, a more moderate form of Islam within the kingdom is necessary. To his credit, he has convinced the clergy of the need to follow his vision, which will also project Islam differently to many others who follow the Saudi guidelines on faith.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, from Saudi Arabia, who recently visited New Delhi for six days, is the Secretary General of the Muslim World League. The organisation was once at the forefront of promoting obscurantist ideology but is now transformed, as is evident from Sheikh al Issa’s message in New Delhi. The Sheikh’s belief which he transparently shared is that a whole generation of Muslims has grown up with an ideology that has given them a negative view of other faiths and an intolerantly sectarian understanding of their own.

In his several meetings with intellectuals, leaders and clergy from diverse faiths in India, he emphasised the role of the clergy in any faith. He admitted that Islam had earned a bad name for itself due to the acts of a few and the refusal of the followers to condemn those acts. He spoke of the role of family and education and decried religious teachers’ unsupervised education of young Muslim children. He mentioned that when intolerance and militancy were rising, people feared confronting them. His most poignant argument was that such obscurantism and militancy cannot be eliminated in the typical military way; they have to be removed from the roots by narratives stronger than the ones expounded.

Sheikh Al-Issa’s visit to India was symbolic of what appears to be the fading of the intolerant and militant element of Islam, but we cannot read too much into this. That change is taking place at the ideological centre is positive, but there is no guarantee of permanency. It is also not necessary that the message from Saudi Arabia is gelling with the vast Muslim populations worldwide. These populations are enmeshed with their local cultures and unlikely to follow examples. What is true is that a message supporting reformation has emanated from the nation considered the custodian of the shrines and, by many, of the faith. Nurturing this and taking it beyond is now the challenge.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Former Commander, Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Now Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir

(atahasnain@gmail.com)

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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The Saudi government aims to promote a more modern and tolerant form of Islam.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Avoiding actions that cause dissent, encourage violence, or spread dangerous ideas

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The reforms have limited the Commission for Promotion of Virtue to a regulatory body, with the Entertainment Authority managing large events.

Title:

Content: FRANCE PRESS: Where did the religious authority in Saudi Arabia go?
Cairo - Al Wasat Gate Saturday 15 January 2022, 05: 57 pm
Faisal Turk, a Saudi teacher, decided to work with the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to guard against its marginalization in recent years, while the Kingdom is witnessing an unprecedented opening coinciding with a campaign of civil and social reforms, according to AFP.
For years, the body, which served as a religious police, enjoyed considerable influence and prestige on the Saudi street, where its members closely monitored the application of Islamic law principles in the conservative kingdom before they were effectively stripped of their powers in 2016.
Expropriate all authority
Faisal, a pseudonym, 37, who resigned months ago from the commission, told AFP: “All our powers have been taken away and we have no clear role at all, ” and the bearded man continued in a meeting in eastern Riyadh:“ Everything I was working to prevent became completely permissible, so I decided to resign. ”
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took office in 2017, the kingdom has seen social reforms that include allowing women to drive, allowing concerts and ending the ban on mixing between men and women.
Faisal, who was wearing a dark cloak, sarcastically added, "In the past there was only one known body in Saudi Arabia, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue, today the most important body is the Entertainment Authority," referring to the Entertainment Authority, which was created by Saudi Arabia in May 2016 and is entrusted with managing and organizing various entertainment events that are witnessing a high turnout of both sexes.
Turki, a pseudonym for a former member of the body, said that "the existence of the body has become completely formal," and the 40-year-old who worked for the body for more than a decade, continued, "We are no longer allowed to intervene and change any behaviors that we considered inappropriate," noting that many continue to work "for the salary only."
In the past, the Authority had great powers, including ensuring that people applied the rules of public decency and prevented mixing, which included the right to request their personal documents, chase and arrest them, and the cars of the Authority were roaming the streets, and its members made sure that women wear the black cloak exclusively. Women.
The Authority has become its role to launch awareness campaigns
With the reduction of its role in the street, the Commission is finally launching campaigns to raise awareness of ethics and confront the epidemic and warn of the seditious, from digital screens and billboards in the streets and social media platforms. Many members of the Commission currently spend most of their time in their offices without contact with people in the streets, which raises the frustration and anger of the most radical among them, according to two sources familiar with the Commission ’ s activities.
A Saudi official, who asked not to be named, told AFP that "the commission has become isolated," pointing to "a significant reduction in the number of its members, especially those who do not qualify for the call," and it is not known exactly how many of its members are currently, but it is estimated, according to one of the sources, about 5,000 in the kingdom, where more than half of the population is under 35 years old, according to 2020 data.
The young Saudi woman, who was previously harassed by HTS men for her colorful clothes, is now able to go out without a head covering and even smoke in the street.
“We didn ’ t think about smoking in the street in the first place years ago, ” the 26-year-old said while smoking with her colleague in central Riyadh during a break from work, laughing,“ They were going to beat us with bamboo, ” referring to the thin sticks used by the authority ’ s malleants to river people.
Ahmed bin Qassem al-Ghamdi, a former senior official of the commission who was removed from his post in 2015 because of his progressive views, said “the commission ’ s greatest mistake was to follow people ’ s individual mistakes, ” which he said“ had a negative impact ” on its image.
The commission has previously committed “violations ”
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue (CPVPV), Abdul Rahman al-Sindh, in an interview last October with the state television station Al-Akhbar, acknowledged that the commission ’ s members were practicing “security issues without any background or qualification ” and stressed that the Muslim law does not stipulate that“ forbidding evil necessarily means removing evil ”, which is a major change in the body ’ s thinking in the past.
The body, which has long been criticized for its repression of women, plans to “employ women ” in its ranks soon, according to Sindh, and Saudi writer Saud al-Kateb acknowledged a“ significant and radical change ” in the work of the body, which said that “its role should be limited and not exceed the role of official regulatory bodies. ”
The Shura Council rejected by a large majority in 2018 a proposal to merge the body into the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, pointing to the need for its continuation to combat drugs, and the professor at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, Stephane Lacroix, ruled out that Saudi Arabia would move to dissolve the body, and said: "The body remains a sign of a distinctive Saudi identity associated with many conservative Saudis.
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More from the middle gate.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The reforms have reduced the influence of the Wahhabi establishment, restricting the religious police and Virtue and Vice Authority.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Saudi Arabia has introduced extensive human rights reforms, particularly in empowering women and implementing women's rights.

Title:

Content: - A plus A.
"Oakaz" (grandmother)
Saudi Arabia affirmed that it is determined to achieve the effective and real empowerment of women and enable them to play their role in building the nation with the full support and assistance of their fellow Saudi citizens without discrimination, disruption or neutralization.
This came in a speech delivered by the Chargé d'affaires of the Permanent Delegation of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, Counsellor Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ateeq, during the annual session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Women and Gender Equality.
Al-Ateeq expressed Saudi Arabia ’ s appreciation for the report issued on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2018-2021, which many governments have aligned in line with their orientations in order to achieve the goals of women ’ s empowerment and equality.
In the past few years, Saudi Arabia has witnessed extensive reforms in the field of human rights, and the field of women's rights has received the largest share of these developments and reforms, as many laws, regulations and legal bases have been promulgated and amended to ensure that women enjoy their rights on an equal basis with men, and a number of measures have been taken to promote women's rights and empowerment.
He pointed out that many legal frameworks have been amended and promulgated to achieve equality between women and men, most notably the Traffic Regulations, the Travel Documents Regulations, the Civil Status Regulations, the Labour Regulations and the Social Insurance Regulations.
As a result of these accelerated reforms in the file of Saudi women, the World Bank ’ s Women, Business and the Law report for the years 2020 and 2021 respectively ranked Saudi Arabia among the most countries in the world in implementing reforms related to laws and regulations related to women, and Saudi Arabia achieved a full score of “100 ” in five indicators: mobility, workplace, entrepreneurship, retirement and wages.
Al-Ateeq pointed out that Saudi Arabia has taken a number of special measures to accelerate equality in various fields through the launch of several initiatives aimed at accelerating the achievement of concrete and effective achievements in this regard.
He said: The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the launch of the "National Platform for Saudi Women Leaders" in cooperation with Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, where the number of registered women in the platform reached 9077, and the launch of "Qara" program to support the transport of working women. From a program of 13,950 beneficiaries to the third quarter of 2021.
He added that the measures taken include the "Support for Self-Employment" program, which expands the circle of opportunities to increase women's income according to their skills, the "Partial Work" and "Remote Work" programs, which enable women to achieve a balance between work and family, as well as empowering women in rural and remote areas to enter the labor market.
It is noteworthy that the economic participation rate of Saudi females has been increased by 94% from 2017 to 2020, and the launch of the Women Empowerment Program at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to increase their participation in the digital sector, and to enable access to leadership positions in the sector. By encouraging companies to commit and pledge to support women ’ s access to senior positions in their organizations and encouraging other companies to join, more than 30 companies in Saudi Arabia have joined the alliance.
Al-Ateeq explained that the Human Resources Development Fund (HDF) has launched a number of initiatives, including Tamheer Program, which reached 70,000 beneficiaries until 2019, Doroob, a national e-training platform where women accounted for 53.8% of the total trainees in the second quarter of 2021, and the Employment Support Program, where the Fund provides financial support for targeted employment. Beneficiary.
He stressed that work has been done to empower women to occupy senior positions, so that Saudi women have reached senior positions in government institutions, universities and others, where they occupy leadership and supervisory positions in a number of ministries and government institutions, and the percentage of women in senior and middle management positions increased from 28.6% in 2017 to 41.4% in the first quarter of 2021.
He reiterated that women are active partners in the political and public life in Saudi Arabia by participating in decision-making or elections and running for election. Saudi women have been included in their participation in the Shura Council, and the number of women working in the Council has reached 97. Women also participate in municipal elections and in running for and election to the Council of Chambers of Commerce.
At the international level, Saudi women have held senior international positions and participated in international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, where a Saudi woman was the Executive Director of UNFPA and the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, and a Saudi woman was the Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization, in addition to her participation in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What does the UN human rights report covering November 2018 to October 2023 confirm about Saudi Arabia's commitment to human rights under Vision 2030, as reflected in reforms and developments during that period?

Its commitment to upholding the highest international human rights standards.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

Saudi Arabia has launched initiatives to accelerate women's equality, with a 94% increase in female economic participation.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia have progressed since Vision 2030.

Title:

Content: Opinion by Princess Lamia bint Majid bin Saud Al Saud: International Human Rights Day..
Equality is the foundation of the rise and progress of nations
Middle East
Publish
9 minutes read
This article is written by Princess Lamia bint Majid bin Saud Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies. The views expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect CNN ’ s view.
Every year on 10 December, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day, a reminder to all of us of the need to provide equal opportunities for all regardless of people ’ s gender, race, religion and other different backgrounds.
The fundamental principle of International Human Rights Day is the equality of rights from fundamental human rights to equal access to cultural and social perceptions, opinions and ideas for all without exception.
Although significant progress has been made in creating a prosperous environment with equal opportunities and rights for both men and women, we still have a long way to go to achieve full gender equality.
In light of the great change taking place in the world at various levels, we now have a unique opportunity to shape the future that everyone deserves by working to activate a social and economic response that will support and empower women and youth around the world.
As such, the global community has responsibilities and duties to pave the way for solutions based on solid strategic dimensions that combat all forms of discrimination that have marginalized many of the world ’ s most vulnerable communities and individuals.
Therefore, we must commit ourselves to the need to look at the current and future needs of people from a social, cultural and economic perspective.
We must all work with international human rights actors and alert human rights specialists to the importance of their interaction with and understanding of human rights mechanisms and build the capacity to interact with them to ensure the development of a general framework that meets such needs and rights.
Women ’ s rights and their importance in the development of nations
Many institutions at the local and global level have adopted an agenda and plans that recognize the need for equal rights and empowerment of women because of its importance in the development of nations.
If we want to talk about the status of women ’ s rights in the Arab world, we are witnessing an increasing and noticeable trend in changing society ’ s perception of women ’ s rights at all levels.
Here, I would like to offer a vivid example of this trend, which is reflected in the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030, which includes the need for Saudi women to participate fully at all levels, invest their energies, provide a suitable environment, provide services that facilitate them to carry out their national duties, increase women ’ s participation in the labor market, and reduce the gender gap in order to achieve economic balance.
The observer of the reality of Arab and Saudi women in particular during the past period, notes that there are participatory efforts at the local and international levels to change the perception that prevailed in the past for women, where many roles and professions were limited to men.
We at Alwaleed Philanthropies, through our cooperation with various government institutions within the Kingdom and international institutions, have sought from the beginning to change the societal perception of women ’ s work based on our firm belief in the importance of empowering and supporting women in all sectors.
In order to achieve this, we have initiated fruitful cooperation and partnerships with various parties, including the Human Rights Commission, with which we have launched a series of training programs to raise the level of legal awareness and enhance the protection of the rights of women and youth in Saudi Arabia.
Various human rights bodies and institutions should promote women ’ s economic independence inside and outside the Kingdom.
As part of our contribution to the economic independence and social and cultural empowerment of women, and through our partnership with the National Crafts and Handicrafts Program of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, we have successfully supported women and youth artisans by providing a variety of business opportunities to sell their products to 5-star hotels.
I would also like to point out here that legal work in Saudi Arabia was previously limited to men and not women, and as part of our role in promoting women ’ s empowerment, we launched in 2014 a legal initiative “Waya ’ ea ” which aims to educate women about their legal rights.
In 2020, Alwaleed Philanthropies signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Human Rights Commission for the empowerment of women and youth, building indicators to support the rights of persons with disabilities, women and children in accordance with international conventions, in addition to supporting and empowering the abused women in the Kingdom psychologically, socially and economically.
Access to equal opportunities
The COVID-19 pandemic has created extraordinary challenges across all sectors of life, and has had a greater impact on women by reducing direct education opportunities, economic impact, limited employment opportunities, access to resources, health and well-being in general.
During the next recovery period, women may be at risk of being forced to agree to precarious working conditions that do not provide them with adequate social protection.
Women from disadvantaged and low-income communities will be the most vulnerable group to these risks.
In order to avoid further challenges of economic crises in the future, we must work together to provide equitable opportunities for the most vulnerable and work to change gender-discriminatory environments to reach their economic potential.
When speaking of Saudi Arabia, which had a large gap in the number of female workers versus male workers in some sectors, it has already made great strides in this area.
In 2021, the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) reported that the overall unemployment rate for Saudis (males and females aged 15 and over) decreased to 11.7% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 12.6% in the fourth quarter of 2020.
This comes in line with the Kingdom ’ s efforts to develop the skills of citizens by providing learning opportunities by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship culture and the Saudi workforce as part of Vision 2030.
Thus, the female participation rate of the total labor force increased to 33.8%.
Support for the most disadvantaged
Violence against women is a problem that exists in different societies around the world.
According to studies, 35% of women worldwide experience some form of violence.
Unfortunately, this percentage worsened during the pandemic.
First, we need to ensure that women have access to the resources available to enhance their access to help and seek legal advice.
Second, we must work with relevant bodies to combat the misconceptions and unrealistic causes associated with violence against women.
By doing so, this trend will encourage more women to seek help and create a catalyst for real change among society.
In conclusion, I would like to refer to the problem of refugees and people displaced by conflicts, wars and natural disasters around the world, especially women and children, where we must provide them with educational and economic opportunities in order to live a better future.
Together, we can build bridges to a more tolerant and welcoming world.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What does the UN human rights report covering November 2018 to October 2023 confirm about Saudi Arabia's commitment to human rights under Vision 2030, as reflected in reforms and developments during that period?

Its commitment to upholding the highest international human rights standards.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

and represented Saudi Arabia internationally; industrial employment increased from 7000 to 17,000 in 2020

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

In Saudi Arabia, at least 52 women are imprisoned for freedom of speech, despite reforms.

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The Story of Three Saudi Sisters: Detained, Refugee, and Banned from Traveling
7 March 2024
Saudi feminist activist Faz al-Otaibi has become a political refugee in Scotland as contact with her sister Manahil, who has been detained for more than a year, has been cut off and their older sister Mariam faces restrictions related to her ability to work or travel outside the kingdom.
https: / / p.dw.com / p / 4dHIo
The three sisters, Foz, Manahil and Mariam, are known for their bold liberal views and opposition to Saudi Arabia ’ s women-related laws, and have hundreds of thousands of followers on various social media sites, which have cost them legal prosecutions that amount to jail time.
The youngest, Manahil, 29, a boxer and travel enthusiast with more than 55,000 followers on the X platform, was arrested in November 2022 after accusing her of leading a “propaganda campaign to incite Saudi girls to disrespect religious principles and rebel against the customs and traditions of society, ” according to court documents seen by AFP.
Her sister, Foz, was able to leave the country before her arrest and then travel and settle in Scotland, where she was granted political asylum.
Fawz, 32, who has 2.5 million followers on Snapchat, told AFP: “When Saudi Arabia decided to open up socially, it also decided to take revenge on all women ’ s rights activists. ”
It considers that the authority “wants to empower a certain group that is under its control and does not object to anything. ”
“It is unfortunate that International Women ’ s Day is coming and there are women ’ s rights defenders who are persecuted or in prison in Saudi Arabia. ”
Repair or Trap?
At least 52 women are in Saudi prisons, among at least 122 women arrested since 2015 in freedom of speech cases, including PhD student Salma al-Shehab sentenced to 27 years in prison, according to a report by the Berlin-based European-Saudi Human Rights Organization.
Since Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in 2017, the ban on women driving, as well as laws requiring gender segregation in public places and the wearing of black abayas, have been lifted, and women can now leave without a headscarf.
However, some human rights activists question the depth of the reforms, stressing that women have been trapped in a wider campaign of arrests targeting government critics.
Saudi Arabia passed a personal status law that went into effect in June, which Riyadh described as “progressive ” but was criticized for containing what Human Rights Watch described as“ discriminatory provisions against women in relation to marriage, divorce, custody and guardianship of children, ” which Amnesty International also found.
Reporters - Ladies DJs in Saudi Arabia
The mandate of men over women
Manahil was one of the strongest opponents of this law, calling for the abolition of male guardianship over women, prompting the prosecution to accuse her of "calling for liberation and the abolition of guardianship."
“Manahil was happy with the crumbs of freedom that had been achieved, but she was persecuted and imprisoned simply for opposing and calling for more freedom for women, ” she says.
Manahil has not yet been convicted or sentenced, and Amnesty International last month accused the Saudi authorities of subjecting her to “enforced disappearance. ”
“We ’ re not political opponents, but the government has been very violent with us, ” she says, referring to what happened to their 36-year-old sister Maryam, who has more than 100,000 followers on the X platform.
Maryam, a former shopkeeper, is a prominent advocate for ending male guardianship in the kingdom and was previously detained in 2017 for 104 days for her feminist activism.
She is currently subject to a travel ban as well as restrictions on her exercise of freedom of expression in public cases, according to her sister and Amnesty International.
Foz asserts that “Mary ’ s life is almost frozen with the impossibility of her work.
No one is hiring her because of her business history and she can ’ t open a commercial register for any activity. ”
Saudi authorities did not respond to an AFP request for comment on the allegations.
"Dark and mysterious words."
This contrasts with the dramatic rise in the proportion of working women from 16% in 2016 to 35% by the end of 2023 in Saudi Arabia.
From the moment they get off the plane, visitors to the kingdom notice this new reality and in many cases, their passports are stamped by Saudi security agents who speak fluent English and greet them with a big smile.
During their stay, visitors see women driving private taxis, others working in garages and even fast train drivers taking pilgrims to Mecca.
Lina Al-Hathloul, head of communications at the London-based ALQST Foundation for Human Rights, said: “The case of the Otaibi sisters reveals the truth behind the narrative of women ’ s rights reforms in Saudi Arabia. ”
“In the absence of any clear guidelines or transparency, women are left without knowing where the boundaries lie and what the potential consequences may be for their personal choices. ”
“These mixed messages are a feature of broader Saudi women ’ s rights reforms. ”
The Public Prosecution accused the sisters Manahil and Win of “producing content in which they profess disobedience and incite girls to disrespect religious principles and harm public order and morals. ”
However, Fawz considers this a “dark talk ” that runs counter to“ any call for real reform ” in the kingdom.
“The authorities destroyed us, separated us and dispersed our family between a detainee, a refugee and a travel ban.
We live in fear and family tragedy. ”
S / F (AFP)

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Saudi Arabia's new personal status law discriminates against women and maintains the male guardianship system.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected women's education and employment in Saudi Arabia, where female labor force participation has risen to 33.8%.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's reform agenda has curtailed the Wahhabi establishment's influence and improved women's rights.

Title:

Content: Paris Fashion Week: Mohammed Ashi brings CHANGE in Saudi Arabia's culture to the ramp

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes.

First Published Jul 6, 2023, 2:10 PM IST

In a remarkable milestone for Saudi Arabia's cultural evolution, Mohammed Ashi, a Saudi designer, made his debut at Paris Fashion Week, marking a significant moment in the kingdom's push into the global fashion scene. Ashi, known for dressing top celebrities, described this achievement as the pinnacle of his career. The event coincided with Saudi Arabia's announcement of its own fashion week scheduled for October, as the country aims to tap into new retail opportunities valued at $32 billion annually.

Also read: Saudi documenting Hadith to stop misuse by Islamic radicals, terrorists

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes. This approach involves redirecting the nation's oil wealth towards investments in movies, sports, video games, tourism, and other cultural endeavors. While skeptics initially viewed these initiatives as mere smokescreens to deflect attention from human rights concerns, the reforms have surpassed expectations by introducing substantial and transformative changes.

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

Yousef Akbar, a fashion designer who established his brand in Australia and has dressed renowned celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Rita Ora, expressed his astonishment at the magnitude of the transformation. He never anticipated such progress while growing up, and starting his fashion label in Australia seemed to determine the course of his career. However, he now operates his business from Jeddah, highlighting the growing opportunities within Saudi Arabia's burgeoning fashion scene.

"For the first two years, I almost didn't believe it was real, but then I realised, wow, it IS real," said 37-year-old Yousef Akbar, who began his eponymous fashion label in Australia in 2017.

"I really never thought when I was growing up that this would happen. When I started my brand in Australia, I thought my whole life would be there since I'm a fashion designer," Akbar added.

Also read: Why Saudi Arabia's oil production cuts are a risky gamble

The Saudi Fashion Commission aims to capitalize on newfound freedoms regarding public dress and the flourishing private sector, projecting a remarkable 48 percent surge in retail sales to $32 billion between 2021 and 2025. In line with this vision, the commission has launched the Saudi 100 brands program, fostering local designers and nurturing a homegrown industry.

Burak Cakmak, the CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, believes that the country's rich heritage and existing brand presence lay the groundwork for a thriving fashion industry, dispelling the notion that Saudi Arabia is starting from scratch.

"Just because the country wasn't exposed to the rest of the world doesn't mean they are starting now," he told AFP in Paris. "I had an event for a brand this week that's been running since the 70s."

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

It is important to acknowledge that LGBTQ individuals face severe repression in Saudi Arabia, as the country criminalizes same-sex relations. Despite this, the authorities are apparently turning a blind eye to the influence of queer designers and couturiers within the fashion industry.

Susanne Koelbl, author of "Behind the Kingdom's Veil," suggests that as long as individuals maintain loyalty to the ruler and their families approve, the authorities are choosing to overlook these aspects.

"Maybe you can't dance naked on the table, but almost anything else is possible now, as long as your family is OK with it and you are loyal to the ruler," Koelbl told AFP.

With opposition largely repressed and religious leaders stripped of power, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces few obstacles in implementing his well-planned and long-scheduled reform agenda, which is dramatically reshaping Saudi society. This process of change brings new and significant opportunities, particularly for women, who are experiencing a shift in societal roles and expectations.

"It's a well-planned, long-scheduled reform process which is about to change the society completely," said Koelbl. "The Saudi people don't tend to be revolutionary and for the vast majority there are indeed new and big opportunities now, especially for women."

For those benefiting from these reforms, the excitement is palpable and inspiring. Witnessing the realization of what was once deemed impossible serves as a powerful motivation for individuals like Yousef Akbar, who see tremendous potential for their own businesses.

"It sounds cliched, but seeing something happen that we all thought was impossible is very inspiring for my own business," said Akbar.

Also read: Arab youth sees India as stronger ally than the US: New survey

Saudi Arabia's presence at Paris Fashion Week and its broader efforts to embrace cultural transformation are indicative of a nation striving to redefine itself on the global stage. As the kingdom continues to invest in various aspects of global culture, it signals a desire to not only diversify its economy but also to foster social progress and create opportunities for its people.

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How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

Women's rights progress in Saudi Arabia has been hindered by challenges, including arbitrary arrest and detention of activists.

Title:

Content: Despite the government ’ s alleged reforms,
Widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Sunday 01 January 2023 - 05: 52 GMT
The widespread German network Deutsche Welle has highlighted the persistence of widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia despite alleged government reforms.
World - Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities continue to discriminate against women as second-class citizens with an unchanging authoritarian guardianship system and strict disobedience laws and rules that restrict the rights of unmarried women.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the so-called “social and economic reform ” dubbed Vision 2030 in April 2016, the status of women has changed dramatically, with the network seeing that some laws were in favor of women and others headed for the worse.
While women activists like Loujain al-Hathloul were jailed for three years following a drive for women to drive, the relevant legislation was changed in 2018 — and according to research firm Statista — within a year and a half, more than 175,000 women applied.
Driving license in Riyadh.
Other laws have been amended since 2018, meaning women are now allowed to apply for a passport without the consent of a male guardian and go to cinemas with their boyfriends.
Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of women ’ s activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who is the head of communications and surveillance at the London-based ALQST Human Rights Organisation, said: “The regime of repression is still in place ” in Saudi Arabia.
Because of the male guardianship system, girls and women still rely on male guardian consent for most decisions.
In case of disobedience, these guardians, who could be fathers, husbands, brothers or sons, are entitled to be sent to so-called “care homes ” — forever, al-Hathloul said.
Moreover, this year, three court rulings starkly emphasized the Saudi ambivalence between men and women.
In January, a court in the city convicted Yasser M.
Verbal sexual harassment of a woman.
He was sentenced to eight months in prison and a fine of 5,000 rials (1,265 euros / $1,330).
Yasir M was one of the first cases to be convicted following the tightening of Saudi legislation to combat sexual harassment in 2019.
But in August, PhD student Salma al-Shehab, 34, was sentenced to 34 years in prison, and a month later Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Both were convicted of retweeting human rights calls.
“The result is fear — people no longer know what the red lines are, ” said al-Hathloul. For her, the liberation of women ’ s rights over the past four years is nowhere near what Saudi women really want.
“We want to live in Saudi Arabia without fear and be able to claim our rights. ”
According to the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS), Saudi Arabia ranks lowest globally.
According to the index, female labor force participation remains low across the region despite a rapid rise in female education rates and improved access to health care.
Women hold only 16 per cent of legislative seats in MENA countries compared to 25 per cent globally.
Certain States actively suppress women's rights by persecuting women's rights activists.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Saudi Arabia, where authorities arbitrarily arrest and detain women ’ s rights leaders with impunity.
The authorities of the House of Saud, a legitimate permanent resident of the United States, arrested Aziza al-Yousef in May 2018 on charges related to her peaceful human rights activism.
Despite her provisional release in March 2019, Ms. Al-Yousef cannot leave the Kingdom due to pending charges in court.
Source: Saudi Leaks

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Women's rights groups are targeted and repressed by the Saudi government.

Title:

Content: Saudi Tennis Federation Paid $40 Million To Host WTA Finals | Tennis Stars Could Be “Jailed and Tortured” For Speaking About Women’s Rights

They say money is the root of all evil, and we should know better than any country, but our tennis and golf players and organizations across the world have been getting in bed with a nation whose civil rights and beliefs on gender equality don’t exactly coincide with ours.

And it’s all for the sake of a dollar. Once we make these deals for billions and accept money from nations with political and moral constructs that clash with ours, we also must deal with the consequences.

Saudi Tennis Federation Pays $40M To Host WTA Finals For Three Years

We take the Saudi bag and agree to compete in their country, then they call the shots. It was recently confirmed that the Saudi Tennis Federation had struck a deal worth over $40 million to host the WTA Finals for the next three years.

According to reports, Women’s Tennis Association players have been warned they could be ‘jailed and tortured’ for speaking about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

Tennis is the latest sport linked with accepting investments from Middle Eastern countries after a merger between the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and the PGA Tour sent shock waves through men’s professional golf.

Men’s Tennis Discussing Deal With Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund

There have also reportedly been ‘positive’ talks between Andrea Gaudenzi — chief of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) — and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) about a potential partnership.

Saudi Arabia’s investments in various sports has attracted criticism, and some prominent U.S. tennis players such as Andy Roddick, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert,  have accused the nation of sportswashing due to their poor human rights record and subsequent desire to reshape their global image.

Which means they are trying to buy our compliance in their unhumanitarian and oppressive governing through sports. The money seems to be talking.

British tennis legend Andy Murray says it is “unfortunate” that Saudi Arabia’s influence on sports is growing around the world.

Saudi Tennis Federation’s Sportwashing Is Working

The Saudi Tennis Federation is all in, having committed to awarding $15.25 million at this year’s WTA Finals – an increase of $6.25 million from the 2023 event in Cancun.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek said earlier this year that it was “not easy for women in these areas” but also offered her opinion that nations like Saudi Arabia wish to “change.” Although she did not specifically reference the government or how they would institute change.

Saudi Women Still Fighting For Women’s Rights

Saudi women have made some legal rights advances since 2017, but widespread discrimination in the areas of marriage, family and divorce still exist as the government has reportedly intensified its targeting ad repressing of women’s rights groups.

Saudi Arabia is reportedly in the midst of constructing a $1.5 trillion city to be just 1.4 miles long. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says he hopes it can expand to over 100 miles, rivaling the pyramids of “Egypt as an icon of timeless grandiosity,” according to reports.

At What Cost?

The money is flowing, and everybody wants a piece. But at what cost?

A leading human rights group has reportedly sent a warning to WTA players about the dangers of standing up for women’s rights in the country.

“If you complain, you go to jail,” Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden told iNews. “So that puts the WTA and players in a super bad spot. You complain about women’s rights conditions, you end up in jail and tortured.”

“So which women’s tour player wants to be asked about the women’s rights defenders who are in jail while they’re playing tennis? Whatever the prize money is, it puts them in a very difficult moral spot and ethical spot,” Worden added.

“It’s only since 2018 that women and girls have even been allowed to drive and play sports. Yes, there has been some progress in that area,” Worden continued, “and it has been due entirely to the women’s rights activists, many of whom have suffered imprisonment and torture.”

“I think the core problems of the underlying human rights crisis in Saudi Arabia are not addressed. None of the federations, not the ATP, not the ITF and not the WTA, have in place a human rights framework that would allow them to even do human rights due diligence,” the activist concluded.

Tennis players such as Andy Roddick have expressed concern about how competing in Saudi Arabia will impact the many LGBTQ+ players such as Daria Kasatkina.

WTA’s LGBTQ Community In Danger?

“Homosexuality is illegal [in Saudi Arabia], but we have openly gay players,” Roddick said. “You know, Kasatkina came out last year. If she goes there and plays, are we just telling her to take a week off of her sexuality? How do we protect our own players?

“You know, their life choices are viewed as criminal when they enter this place. How do we protect those mechanisms? And can whatever is said now be trusted when it’s actually in practice?” he asked.

“There aren’t any women’s rights defenders in Saudi Arabia they can interview about the problem. They’re all in jail, or under house arrest,” Roddick added.

These are strong sentiments expressed by some tennis legends.

Meanwhile, Steve Simon, the chief executive of the WTA Tour, has to protect the bag and continues to defend the decision to take women’s tennis to Saudi Arabia. He says, “everyone is going to be welcome” and doesn’t “anticipate anything more than positive experiences.”

This is a developing story that we will keep an eye on.

At the same time, the WTA will undoubtedly also warn their tennis players to lie low, play tennis and return home. It’s not the time to take political stances, because Brittney Griner can tell you how fast an athlete can get caught up in a foreign country because of a lack of understanding of the severity that comes along with breaking their rules.

It’s often not a matter of right and wrong. Just policy. Same as there’s no justification for putting tennis players in dangerous situations just so the organization can rake in money. For now, it’s falling on deaf ears.

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Saudi Arabia has a poor human rights record, with accusations of enforced disappearance and violent treatment of women's rights activists.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Saudi Arabia has made strides to empower women under Vision 2030, with women now holding senior positions in government and universities.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The country has enacted anti-discrimination laws and increased women's leadership representation to 39%.

Title:

Content: Foreign Minister Opens International Conference on Women in Islam
Praise the leadership role in his care.
Condemns the violations and illegal practices against Palestinian women and the Palestinian people.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, welcomed the participants in the International Conference on Women in Islam Status and Empowerment, which is now being held in Jeddah. He said in his opening speech: "I welcome you all to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia." He thanked Karim for their response to the Kingdom's call to hold this important conference on women in Islam, which is under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the conference aims to clarify the status and role of women in our religion past and present and their rights guaranteed to education and Islamic values and their important role in the development process of our societies and countries and discuss the various challenges they face and ways to overcome them.
He added that the multiple challenges faced by women in war zones and armed conflicts such as violence, poverty, fear, marginalization and lack of health and educational care for their children make it imperative for us to work hard to protect and support these most affected and vulnerable groups.
“We are meeting today under the difficult circumstances that Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip are living under the continuous Israeli violations of international laws and humanitarian principles, in light of the silence and failure of the international community to carry out its duties and responsibilities to stop the escalation and bloodshed and ensure immediate access to urgent and necessary humanitarian assistance, ” he said.
He condemned and condemned in the strongest terms the violations, illegal practices and crimes against humanity to which Palestinian women and the Palestinian people are subjected by the Israeli war machine, praising their pivotal role and their great sacrifices for the justice of their cause.
He continued: “Muslim women today face many challenges, harassment and discrimination in some other countries in light of a wave of legislation restricting their rights to wear the hijab and others due to the weight of Islam, which is contrary to the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. ”
He pointed out that "women are the pillars of the family and society, where our Islamic religion honored women, guaranteed their full rights, and legislated their duties and ordered us not to discriminate against them or hinder their opportunities, whether in political, economic, social, scientific or other affairs.
He pointed out that "despite this, women have not been spared from the injustice of some customs and traditions in some societies throughout the ages and attempts to link them to religion through some arbitrary readings and interpretations of those who are contrary to the tolerance of Islam."
He pointed out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made great strides to achieve the empowerment of women under our ambitious vision 2030 so that Saudi women have become an indispensable partner in the process of transformation, development and growth in various fields. The Kingdom has enacted a set of legislations and decisions derived from Islamic Sharia to enhance women ’ s participation in economic and social development, ensure their rights and prevent discrimination against them in education, jobs and wages. Since 2016, it has owned 45% of SME projects and increased its representation in leadership positions from 17% to 39%.
“In this context, we commend the efforts of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to empower women and put them at the forefront of their concerns, including the establishment of a specialized organization for women ’ s development led by one of Saudi women ’ s competencies, ” he said.
In conclusion, he thanked everyone for responding to the invitation and participating in the conference, one of the most important outputs of which will be the official document entitled Jeddah Document for Women in Islam, which will cover all the rights of women in Islam and be a legal, legislative and intellectual reference document that contributes to achieving empowerment as a reality in our Islamic society.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs opened the exhibition accompanying the conference, which was prepared by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The speeches followed where the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh delivered a speech in which she praised the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince, and then explained what Muslim women are suffering in many countries.
In his speech, the OIC Secretary General stressed that this conference is an important and pivotal occasion that works to highlight the rights of women in Islam.
It is an occasion that would not have been possible without the great support we always feel from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the generous patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their clear efforts in supporting the march of women inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I would also like to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the women leaders from the OIC Member States, including women presidents, prime ministers, vice-presidents, ministers and directors of international organizations, directors of national bodies for women ’ s affairs, all in their name and proper status, and to all those who responded to our invitation to attend and honor this conference. This important event.
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How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Restrictions on women's freedoms persist in Saudi Arabia, with a 49 percent gender pay gap.

Title:

Content: Breaking news.
Social transformations and economic challenges.
Women come to work.
Social transformations and economic challenges.
Women come to work.
Jeddah - "Women 's News Agency"
Riham Al-Ahmad got out of the taxi she was riding with another woman in central Riyadh and entered the mall where she works four days a week selling cosmetics.
Reham, who has a high school diploma, became the first working girl in her family.
Her parents did not want her to go out to work, but eventually retreated after the cost of living in the capital increased.
With new high taxes and cuts in government subsidies in place, many families are increasingly dependent on women going out to work.
Women are negotiating a new place in the country ’ s delicate social fabric, a trend that has been celebrated by some, while others have been met with suspicion in a kingdom where conservative traditions are still deeply rooted.
Riham, a 24-year-old who lives with her parents and five younger siblings, has chosen a shop, most of whose customers are women, to ease parents' fears of mixing with men.
“I felt guilty when I asked my father for anything.
But since I started working, I am proud to be able to help my family. ”
Every day, thousands of women across the country go out to work, something that would not have come to mind just a few years ago, but has now become a norm under reforms led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to modernize the kingdom.
It highlights its progress on women ’ s issues, but does not allow political parties or elections to take place.
There are currently no women in the Saudi cabinet or in any senior advisory roles.
The Shura Council has only 30 women among its 150 members.
However, women now make up 33% of the total workforce, nearly double the proportion five years ago.
Women of different age groups and educational levels are now accepting jobs that were previously restricted to Saudi men and expatriate workers in restaurants, supermarkets, accounting firms and graphic designers.
As part of the reforms, women have been allowed to drive since 2018.
But Reham al-Ahmad, who earns 4,500 riyals ($1,200) a month, cannot afford driving lessons, aside from the price of a car.
“I spend about a third of my salary on a taxi, ” she said, adding that she was saving money to buy a car.
“But I ’ m really happy that I have a job where I get a private income at the end of the day.
I never thought it was possible for me. ”
A small number of women have long worked in Saudi Arabia, but their jobs have traditionally been in the government sector of teaching and medical care, following strict gender segregation rules in place, but with the easing of restrictions on mixing genders, driving cars and some aspects of male guardianship, companies have started hiring more women.
This is especially true in the retail and hospitality sectors, where a 2011 plan to replace cheaper expatriate workers with nationals was launched to tackle unemployment among Saudis, which now stands at 11 percent.
Economist Jennifer Beck said, “Many of the jobs held by women have traditionally been held by non-Saudis. ”
The new laws have made it easier for women to work in jobs that require direct interaction with customers.
Her research shows that the number of Saudi women in the private sector jumped to 935,508 in 2021 from 56,000 in 2010, and continues to rise.
In Unaizah, a city in the Qassim region at the heart of a conservative society, trends are changing, and more women are working, though some are wary of turning against tradition.
Ghada al-Salman, 33, after graduating from university, struggled to find work in Qassim, where unemployment among women is about 18 percent, three times the rate of unemployment among men.
It turned to the bakery industry, eventually opening three stores with 45 employees.
More recently, at the Dates Festival, she promoted the production of her bakery, Rose Raben Bakery (Pink Ribbon), one of the few women-owned businesses in Qassim.
She said, “If it weren ’ t for my parents, I wouldn ’ t have been able to do any of this. ”
“Most parents here still don ’ t approve of their daughters working all day with men, even if they are bosses and even if they wear the niqab, ” she said.
She wears face coverings and a long black cloak like most women in public places in Unaizah, but faces reproach from older conservatives.
A man in his 60s complained about the speed of social change, and he relishes eating one of her cupcakes.
The man, who asked not to be named, said the government “tells us that women should work, but it ’ s against our tradition. ”
Others believe that these changes are long overdue.
Rana al-Turki, 45, joined her father ’ s oil and gas company in 2000, and was one of the first women to work at the company, working for years in a gender-neutral office.
Rana al-Turki, who is now the owner and one of the directors of Rawabi Holding, said: “At the time, the men were not even polite.
No one would say good morning or ride the elevator with me, and they couldn ’ t even stand standing with me in one room. ”
He added: “Thank God things have changed.
In my day, we were even afraid to ask for a salary.
But girls these days come in and negotiate hard.
They know their value. ”
Yet the gender pay gap in Saudi Arabia stands at 49 percent, according to research by the non-governmental Al-Nahda Association.
“Social trends continue to govern women ’ s entry into the labor market, ” said Hala al-Dosari, a Saudi women ’ s rights expert who works in the United States, noting that most new jobs for women are poorly paid.
Although laws to prevent harassment and discrimination were in place, women continued to be harassed and denied their rights.
Economist Jennifer Beck said some employers still ask women for their guardian ’ s permission to work, despite recent reforms that give women more control over their lives.
An employer at one of the biggest companies told Reuters he preferred to hire women because they worked harder than men and earned half the pay.
Nearly 400 companies interviewed by Peak ’ s research group said Saudi women were paid less than men, and a third said women were more productive than men.
But for many Saudi women, these are only growing troubles.
Ghada al-Salman, the owner of the bakery, said: “Young women ask me all the time how they can achieve what I have achieved.
10 years ago, it was impossible.
Now the future is yours. ”
Women's News Agency

Laws against harassment and discrimination exist but are often unenforced, and some employers still require women to have guardian permission to work.

Women's rights progress in Saudi Arabia has been hindered by challenges and slow implementation of Vision 2030 reforms.

Title:

Content: After the Salma case.
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights
22 / 08 / 19 | 19: 15 - Source: Free
An opinion piece published in the New York Times sheds light on the reality of the reforms announced by Saudi Arabia in granting women ’ s rights, especially allowing them to drive and loosening the control of their male guardians.
Note: The content of the title (after the case of Salma..
Doubting the truth of Saudi reforms in the field of women's rights) was first published on the website of (Al-Hurra) and does not bear the content of this day's news encyclopedia in any way.
You can find out the details of this post (after Salma ’ s case).
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights) through its original source (Al-Hurra).
Continue reading Free.
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Saudi Arabia's women's rights reforms, including driving and reduced male guardian control, are doubted after the Salma case.

Title:

Content: After the Salma case.
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights
22 / 08 / 19 | 19: 15 - Source: Free
An opinion piece published in the New York Times sheds light on the reality of the reforms announced by Saudi Arabia in granting women ’ s rights, especially allowing them to drive and loosening the control of their male guardians.
Note: The content of the title (after the case of Salma..
Doubting the truth of Saudi reforms in the field of women's rights) was first published on the website of (Al-Hurra) and does not bear the content of this day's news encyclopedia in any way.
You can find out the details of this post (after Salma ’ s case).
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights) through its original source (Al-Hurra).
Continue reading Free.
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How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

Women's rights activists face challenges as the male guardianship system restricts women's decisions.

The country must do more to achieve full equality for women and protect their rights.

Title:

Content: Similar Articles
A new crime to violate women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Despite all the reforms championed by bin Salman, Saudi women continue to suffer persecution regardless of their social, scientific and family status, they are oppressed from the cradle to the grave, and women ’ s rights have become a cheap commodity traded by princes, clerics and ministers in Saudi Arabia.
While videos of security personnel assaulting girls in Khamis Mushait orphanage center in Saudi Arabia recently came to shake the Saudi street, the videos show the storming of dozens of security personnel and detectives along with members of the civil defense center, and appeared in the video security men beating girls in Khamis Mushait orphanage and chasing girls and beating them randomly and dragging a girl by her hair.
The detectives, police and civil defense were present in the orphanage as if they were besieging a building full of terrorists!
One of the videos shows that a number of security men, under the supervision of an official in the house, dragged a girl and beat her severely; allegedly trying to film what was done inside the house, amid pleas and begging by her to leave her and not beat her.
Another image showed the extent of the injuries suffered by some girls as a result of violence and beatings by security personnel, which confirmed the extreme violence to which they were subjected.
Following the circulation of the videos, Twitter in Saudi Arabia, with the hashtag “Khamis Mushait orphans ”, topping the list of the most traded hashtags in the Kingdom, where everyone expressed his anger and condemnation of what happened, with calls to punish everyone who participated in this crime.
A number of activists confirmed that the orphanage girls had human rights claims, but these claims were rejected by the orphanage management, prompting the girls to strike, which prompted the officials in the orphanage to seek help from the security authorities.
Extensive feedback
After the spread of videos like wildfire, the social networking site “Twitter ” in Saudi Arabia with the hashtag“ orphans Khamis Mushait ”, to top the list of the most traded hashtags in the Kingdom, where everyone expressed his anger and condemnation did not happen, with calls to punish everyone who participated in this crime.
In this context, activist Saeed al-Zahrani commented on the videos saying: “Whatever the reason, no one has the right to attack them in this barbaric way.
And the girls who defended each other in the video and who documented the abuse and God that they were enough and free did not accept the injustice. ”
The National Gathering Party, a Saudi opposition party made up of Saudis in exile in the United States and Britain in particular, on Wednesday condemned the "brutal practice" and demanded an investigation.
In a statement on Twitter, he called for "announcing protection measures for care and shelter homes from such brutal practices and preserving the rights of inmates to strike, complain and object to any encroachments on their rights and dignity."
In turn, the London-based ALQST Foundation for Human Rights condemned the “deplorable events ” witnessed by the house“ from the storming of security men and the assault on girls who protested against the bad conditions. ”
Activist Lina al-Hathloul said: “If you ’ re wondering how the state security of Mohammed bin Salman behaves when they arbitrarily arrest people – here you have a video of them attacking an orphanage.
criminals. ”
Dr. Hessa Mohammed al-Madhi attacked the security men who tortured the girls, saying: “Semi-men assault a helpless orphan. ”
Activist Alia Abu Tayeh commented on what happened, commenting on the video of the attack on one of the girls: “They broke her hand – made their necks to break where is the disbelief from the saying of Allah (the orphan is not oppressed). ”
Activists spoke of the fact that the suffering of social welfare homes and orphanages is an eternal suffering, where there are abuses inside the homes of a segment that is supposed to be faithful to this category, which is not guilty, whether it was the orphans of parents, but they are treated as if they are serving disciplinary sanctions or judicial sentences.
Egyptian lawyer Mahmoud Refaat commented on the video: “Violence against women in Saudi Arabia is horrific.
This is an attack by dozens of security men who used electric shocks and sticks and abused orphaned girls inside the orphanage just because they went on hunger strike to improve their poor living conditions. ”
Why did the security guards break into the house?
Official sources did not indicate the reasons for the intrusion and assault.
But the accounts circulated said the girls had gone on hunger strike to demand better living conditions inside the home.
After their demands were rejected by the administration, it asked the security forces to intervene to break the strike.
According to another account, the director of the house deliberately hid the job opportunities and donations that were coming to the girls and prompted them to demand them, when the management of the house requested the intervention of the security forces.
Execution of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Despite the openness that the Saudi regime has been trying to show in recent years, there are still “severe restrictions ” in Saudi Arabia on“ the rights of women whose legal status is still inferior to that of men in all areas, including the most basic behaviors associated with daily life. ”
Promises of reform by Saudi officials continue to collide with the reality of the human rights situation in a country that continues to suppress any different voice, especially those of human rights defenders calling for important societal reforms.
Saudi authorities continue to enact laws in the name of fighting terrorism that are in fact used to criminalize the free expression of dissenting opinion.
What shows the falsification and lies of the Saudi authorities ’ claims about the reforms they are carrying out in the field of women ’ s rights, a Saudi court specialized in “terrorism ” cases recently sentenced Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani to 45 years in prison for her posts on social media.
In this country mired in patriarchy, masculinity and authoritarianism, the longest prison sentence for an activist in history has been handed down.
Human rights activist and feminist Salma al-Shehab, 34, a mother of two children aged 4 and 6, was sentenced to 34 years in prison and a further 34 years of travel ban over tweets.
She was banned from travelling for a similar period, in what has been described as the longest on the list of women ’ s rights defenders in the kingdom.
International press sources said that the organization “Democracy Now for the Arab World (Down) ”, an organization founded by the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi, obtained the documents of the sentence of activist Noura al-Qahtani, after a specialized criminal court convicted her of using the Internet to tear the social fabric.
The organization revealed that the Saudi activist was convicted on charges of seeking to destabilize the social fabric and national cohesion, and disrupting the cohesion of society and its public order through the Internet.
This unjust sentence of the Saudi courts is in addition to the thousands of similar arbitrary sentences that have extended and affect dissidents, activists and activists on social media sites.
Among them are hundreds of women who pay a tax for being women demanding their most basic human rights.
They are subjected daily to the worst forms of discrimination, persecution, violence and exclusion in a society dominated by ultra-masculinity under an authoritarian regime.
All of this proves that behind the “reformist ” image of the Saudi monarchy, which boasts of its social achievements and its emancipation of women, human rights violations and policies of repression and discrimination continue.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

Mohammed bin Salman's reforms are popular among Saudi youth.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia...
Mohammed bin Salman ’ s change to the kingdom ’ s image is happening quickly and the danger lies in the time to reach the core
Middle East
Publish
11 minutes read
Analysis by Nick Robertson, CNN's Middle East Newsletter.
To subscribe to the newsletter (click here)
LONDON, United Kingdom (CNN) -- Saudi Arabia has made headlines recently, this time to try to find its place in the world of sports.
She's spending a lot of money.
In an announcement that shocked the world of sports last Tuesday, the US-based PGA Tour Golf Association announced a merger with its Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf and the Dubai-sponsored DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour), ending a dispute that dominated male pro golf last year.
News of the partnership has become the talk in several capitals and stadiums around the world.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Professional League welcomed the winner of the Golden Ball French player Karim Benzema, to catch up with his teammate who previously joined the Saudi league Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is said to earn $200 million a season.
Perhaps the last time many people showed so much interest in the kingdom was in 2018 when journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by Saudi government agents in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The golf coup of that partnership may have been the sporting achievement so far of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He has already secured a spot on the F1 circuit, hosted all boxing matches as well as organising a series of global and regional music events to impress local audiences who considered all this far from reality for them.
None of this was possible before Mohammed bin Salman came to power.
The speed and scale of his changes have earned him popularity among many of the country ’ s youth, which is as unexpected as it is rare in Saudi history.
Fame in sport is built on moments of brilliance.
Unlike politics where it is slowly won.
Decisions can usually take years to mature and yield benefits, but for Mohammed bin Salman it is different.
He's in a hurry.
In fact, he consolidated his power by shaking up the old guard in 2017, many of whom were potential contenders for power.
More than 200 members of the royal family and businessmen were detained at the Ritz Hotel in Riyadh that year over allegations of corruption.
The result is that once vibrant and vocal members of the royal family with strong royal assets have much less influence today and little chance of gaining it.
Arguably among some of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s Western partners, he is still seen as a potentially dangerous interlocutor.
For them, he is seen as responsible for sending the team that killed, sliced and burned Khashoggi, who has been critical of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s high-speed reforms.
Mohammed bin Salman has denied any personal involvement in Khashoggi ’ s killing but has taken full responsibility as the country ’ s leader.
Khashoggi ’ s killing has tarnished Mohammed bin Salman ’ s reputation and may have derailed his father King Salman ’ s ambitions for him to modernize the kingdom.
In 2015, when King Salman came to the throne, the nation was fossilized, its royal office and bureaucracy were arrogant and rigid, and according to the accounts of many Saudis “very corrupt. ”
The conservative religious police took control of the streets and women were banned from driving.
The country has been stuck in a cultural time crisis since its rulers panicked when Muslim extremists stormed the Grand Mosque in 1979, members of the royal family feared for their future and pacified Islamists by giving conservative clerics a huge role in running the kingdom.
A different regional player
By the time King Salman came to power, the 21st century was passing through Saudi Arabia without the benefit of it.
The larger and more powerful Gulf kingdom was culturally different, decades behind its neighbors in business and development, woefully below its capabilities.
That was until King Salman empowered Mohammed bin Salman, not his eldest son, but his chosen son to fix it.
The LIV Golf Championship is the latest example, not only of his intention to do so, but of what he went through before achieving it.
Since coming to power, he has banished the religious police almost overnight, shrinking the space for religion in public life and replacing it with a new kind of Saudi nationalism.
Women were allowed to go to football stadiums with men, and national day parties were held outdoors in the streets with music and dance, unheard of before the Mohammed bin Salman era.
The changes didn ’ t stop there, emancipation allowed unmarried men and women to sit together in cafes, work in the same office, and shop in stores together.
New neighborhoods have sprung up in Riyadh to meet a new lifestyle.
Extremely modern office complexes dotted with fountains and palm trees sprang up, and roadside cafes, which looked like Dubai, lured young people out of their homes.
Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of a new and freer lifestyle for many, but those who skip it and ask on social media skeptical of his decisions risk their disappearance.
Even the few who were released after international pressure, such as Loujain al-Hathloul, have been released from prison, but cannot leave the country and have been warned to keep their thoughts to themselves or risk going back to prison.
But despite the rough edges, there is a soft force at work.
Saudi Arabia recently started to build an extravagant football league with expensive European stars.
Mohammed bin Salman wants the world to take him just as seriously as many of his fellow citizens seem to be doing now.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has become an increasingly close geostrategic partner, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is benefiting at least for now, with Mohammed bin Salman cutting oil production, ignoring U.S. concerns that high oil prices are helping Moscow pay for its war in Ukraine.
The crown prince has also embarked on a regional and international diplomatic track aimed at making the kingdom a bigger player on the world stage.
Saudi Arabia has led efforts to bring Syria out of isolation and has tried to mediate conflicts such as those in Sudan and even in Ukraine.
Mohammed bin Salman has begun mending ties with his former foes, from Turkey and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Houthi rebels in Yemen and even arch-foe Iran.
The prevailing idea is that he needs to ensure stability in order for his economic plans to succeed.
In terms of oil, it has made Saudi Arabia a bolder player.
Having been quick to respond to U.S. calls to open faucets and lower prices, the kingdom is now ignoring those requests, risking damage to its decades-old partnership with Washington.
The message is that Saudi interests come first.
These interests are to bring as many oil dollars as possible to the kingdom so that it does not fall into a budget deficit or see its mega projects fail.
What's best for his people?
Like Putin and Xi, Mohammed bin Salman wants what he believes is best for his people, meaning that the old model of affordable energy access in exchange for Western security guarantees that have moved Saudi Arabia to a cultural dead end is no longer an option.
Perception is everything.
America ’ s shift to Asia, its failure in 2011 to side with deposed allies during the Arab Spring, and now its support for Ukraine and what most Gulf Arabs see as misguided Western hegemony reeling from failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan all help sharpen Mohammed bin Salman ’ s paths toward new relationships where he also has some support.
The United States wants to increase oil production, support Ukraine, and normalize relations with Israel.
But it ’ s on the streets of Riyadh and Jeddah where Mohammed bin Salman ’ s biggest potential challenges lie.
The clock is approaching Vision 2030, a bold and tumultuous reimagining of city life powered by non-oil industries.
It is not only a new way of living, but also securing the work necessary to meet the needs of the country ’ s huge young population.
Two-thirds of Saudis are under 35 and have finally been able, in part thanks to Mohammed bin Salman, to taste what their contemporaries have enjoyed in the outside world for years.
Saudi officials say Vision 2030 for a new city on the Red Sea and another mega project — the New Square — in the capital Riyadh may not even partially materialize, but it aims to inspire the country and investors.
These are great adventures to keep people at work, so they are happy in their lives and less likely to challenge Mohammed bin Salman ’ s autocratic rule.
Plans of this magnitude are often realized over generations rather than the lifetime of a generation already living and yearning for a meaningful future.
Mohammed bin Salman, in a hurry, is attaching stability to a combination of ambition and an antidote to the people.
The process of changing the image is in full swing, but the longer it takes to get to the core, the greater the risk of failure.

Conservative influence has decreased since 2017, signaling a cultural shift.

Under Mohammed bin Salman, women's rights have expanded to include driving and attending concerts and sporting events.

Title:

Content: Crown Prince and Dignity of the Kingdom
Since assuming the crown prince in 2017, Prince Mohammed has faced many challenges, at various levels, to derail his vision for the future of the kingdom.
Many have bet on the difficulty of overcoming these challenges, but he has been able to overcome them with great merit.
These challenges took many forms and spread to the Yemeni arena, which was a threat to Saudi national security by the Iranian-backed Houthi militias.
Despite the “reluctance ” of some allies to support the Kingdom ’ s defensive position to ward off the threat from its southern flank and use the Iranian nuclear program as a scarecrow of intimidation, the Kingdom ’ s leadership faced this challenge through Decisive Storm, did not consult anyone, and failed the Iranian plan to confiscate legitimacy and establish a sectarian regime in Yemen.
It was eventually able to impose a truce on the Houthi militias to stop the bloodshed in that Arab country.
Despite all the institutional reform measures and social changes, including the empowerment of Saudi women, curbing the forces of reverse tension, fighting corruption, influence exploitation and illicit enrichment, many Western circles have pushed for the imposition of the Western model and exploited some issues to distort the image of the Crown Prince and besiege him on the international scene to the extent of threatening to turn the Kingdom into a “pariah ” and“ rogue ” state.
This Western position has been and continues to be a testimony to the hypocrisy of those who claim to defend democracy who use double standards, and the evidence of this is many, including daily Israeli violations of the rights of the Palestinian people and the deliberate execution of civilians on the ground while Western governments stand by and may only condemn these violations timidly.
Many parties tried to pass certain plans and projects under various names and promoted rumors of political deals with Israel, but tried to market them and impose them, but the leadership of the Kingdom recognizes that Israel takes, does not give and cannot be this leadership that protects Islamic sanctities to be the free gate from which Israel can cross to the Arab and Islamic worlds, despite the establishment of relations with some Arab and Gulf countries.
The talk about these challenges and the public and hidden details that accompanied them does not end, but the leadership of the Kingdom faced them calmly and patiently and the result was amazing, the leadership remained firm on its positions and principles and continued to fight for the dignity of the Kingdom and its people until the day came when others reviewed their policies and acknowledged their mistakes and gave up their intransigence and pride.
The Russian-Ukrainian war put Western governments in a dilemma and a difficult test in the light of the energy and food crisis that threatened the lives of millions of people and the economies of even developed countries, so they had to look for a way out and a savior came to the Kingdom to ask for help.
But the Kingdom ’ s leadership knows the game of interests as well as the importance of its role in maintaining global stability, and has expressed its readiness to cooperate with the options presented, but according to its assessment, vision and independent national decision and not in response to dictates.
After breaking the cordon they tried to impose on the leadership of the Kingdom, His Highness the Crown Prince stormed the international arena as strong as he could be and grabbed the spotlight on his recent trip to Greece and France, where he was greeted with the respect he deserved.
As a result of his courageous attitude and attempts to undermine him, some Western media outlets try to undermine him and reduce the importance of his achievements, including some long false reports that resemble the novels of George Orwell, and came full of allegations and rumors.
An official source described some of the reports as lies, saying in response to a question from the author of the report: “It is unfortunate that the Kingdom is accustomed to false allegations against its leadership, which are usually based on malicious political sources. ”
Despite these fictional reports, the authors acknowledge that His Highness the Crown Prince is a straight and clean human being, like his father, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and is friendly and confident in himself and does not leave a smile on his face.
We hope that this smile will last and the shamtans will die with their fury.
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Title:

Content: After five years in power, Prince Mohammed bin Salman is back on the international stage with Biden ’ s visit.
RIYADH (AFP) - Five years after becoming crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman is poised to reassert his position internationally once again, with US President Joe Biden visiting the region and having long been sidelined by the West over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul.
Announcement
Biden's visit, which comes amid the war in Ukraine and the associated high energy prices, completes Mohammed bin Salman, 36, from his isolation, after visits to the kingdom by the leaders of France, Britain and Turkey.
On June 21, 2017, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, 86, named his son Mohammed as crown prince, and the latter immediately began a campaign of unprecedented economic and social reforms, but at the same time, he suppressed all opposition and tightened his grip on the country.
The crown prince has become the de facto ruler of the kingdom, one of the world ’ s largest oil exporters, in a reform process that has turned all aspects of life in the kingdom upside down.
But Khashoggi ’ s killing has cast such a shadow over Prince Mohammed ’ s tenure that Biden ’ s visit next month to Saudi Arabia, once a traditional trip for U.S. leaders, is highly controversial.
Khashoggi, who was close to Saudi power before becoming a critic of the crown prince, was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and dismembered by Saudis from the kingdom.
A US intelligence report concluded that Prince Mohammed approved the arrest or killing of Khashoggi.
The Saudi crown prince denies the accusations.
After the visits of French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Biden ’ s visit is a new recognition of the status of the Saudi crown prince.
Yasmine Farouk of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace believes that Washington has been the center of opposition to Mohammed bin Salman in terms of public official statements and mobilization in the West.
"This is exactly what Mohammed bin Salman has wanted for the past year and a half: a meeting and a photo with Biden as his counterpart," a diplomat living in Riyadh told AFP.
Women behind the wheel
Today, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has fingerprints in all the policies of the Kingdom and its society.
His reforms included abolishing the requirement for women to wear the black abaya and removing restrictions on their movements without the consent of their parents.
The wearing of the abaya and headscarf is now optional.
Women were also allowed to attend concerts and sporting events.
In 2018, they were finally allowed to drive.
The kingdom has also relaxed its guardianship system, allowing women to issue passports and travel outside the country without the consent of their male relatives.
This has contributed to the entry of women into the workforce, which has had a positive impact on the economy.
However, Saudi Arabia ’ s approach to women ’ s issues remains incomplete, especially with regard to those who dare to oppose it.
In 2018, authorities arrested dozens of women human rights defenders, most of them just a month before the women ’ s driving ban was lifted, including those who dared to challenge the driving ban.
In November 2017, authorities arrested dozens of princes and senior officials for questioning over corruption or disloyalty at the luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.
Hussein Ibish, of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said Prince Mohammed "linked his comprehensive cultural, social and artistic revolution...
with a dramatic concentration of political power "in his hand.
"Close all obvious sources of direct opposition in order to control" the country, he said.
Expanding beyond borders
Prince Mohammed has also made his mark on his country ’ s foreign policy.
Two months after his father, King Salman, ascended the throne, and while he was defense minister, he pushed for military intervention in Yemen.
Riyadh formed a military coalition of several countries that carried out this intervention to support government forces against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
As a result of the war, Yemen is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people directly or because of its aftermath, and pushed millions to the brink of famine, according to the United Nations.
Saudi Arabia has come under criticism, including from the United States, over the conflict, particularly when coalition air strikes have killed civilians.
In a sign of its desire to get out of the Yemeni quagmire, Saudi Arabia helped broker a truce in Yemen that began in April.
The boycott of Qatar, announced three weeks before Prince Mohammed takes office on June 21, was also a manifestation of Saudi foreign policy influenced by bin Salman ’ s influence.
But analysts say the kingdom has finally begun to adopt a conciliatory approach in the region, citing, for example, its involvement in direct talks with Iran, its regional rival, and Prince Mohammed ’ s recent statement that Israel is a “potential ally ” of his country amid regular reports of Saudi-Israeli rapprochement.
The most important element of Prince Mohammed ’ s Vision 2030 is reshaping his country ’ s oil-dependent economy.
The plan, which includes attracting about 30 million foreign tourists a year by 2030, is based on mega projects such as NEOM, the futuristic $500 billion science-fiction city with flying taxis and working robots.
Yasmine Farooq says Mohammed bin Salman “is the center of power (behind the change), but he has done nothing that was not already up for discussion in the public sphere. ”
Christian Ulrichsen, an analyst at Rice University's James Baker Institute, said: "Having achieved much of the argument that only he can change Saudi Arabia by 2030, the next several years will be crucial for Mohammed bin Salman and depend on him achieving tangible results that meet expectations."

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

attend sporting events
Women gained permission to drive

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

attend sporting events
Women gained permission to drive

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

attend sporting events
Women gained permission to drive

The religious police have been banished and unmarried men and women can now sit together in cafes.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Mohammed bin Salman's reforms have faced opposition from conservative groups.

Title:

Content: The square project.
A new step by bin Salman for “changing identity ”? | Politics and economics | In-depth analysis with a broader perspective than DW | DW | 12.03.2023
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The square project.
A new step by bin Salman to “change identity ”?
Is Saudi Arabia moving towards more identity modernization?
A new project in the capital Riyadh mimics the shape of the Kaaba, in a context that is witnessing a shift from the Saudi leadership towards easing the historical and religious dimension.
The giant cube in the middle of the new square project has nothing to do with the Kaaba in Mecca, although there is a similarity in the geometry.
A huge project announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under the name of "Square Project" in the capital Riyadh, with a width, height and length of 400 meters, which will be in the center of Riyadh, with the aim of developing the largest "Downtown", where the Saudi leadership plans to be the largest city center in the world.
The project includes "an innovative museum, a university specializing in technology and design, a multi-use theater and areas for live and entertainment shows," the Saudi Press Agency announced a few days ago, and is scheduled to be completed in 2030.
The project resembles the Kaaba in its geometric form, which has left a great controversy on social media sites.
Bruno Schmidt Fuerherd, a political analyst from Cambridge University, told DW that “in the Saudi public sphere, religion is increasingly being replaced by culture, ” denying that cube-shaped architecture is something specific to the Kaaba.
Change Date of Incorporation
This new square is not the only change in Saudi Arabia; it has been preceded by other steps that confirm a trend towards modernizing the country.
For the first time, the anniversary of the founding of the Saudi state was celebrated last year, and the occasion was designated on February 22 of each year, known as "Foundation Day", in addition to the Saudi National Day celebrated on September 23 of each year, and dates back to the occasion of the unification of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
The most important thing in establishing the "Foundation Day" is to change the date of the founding of the country from 1744 to 1727.
The year 1744 is linked to the agreement between the ruling Al Saud family and the cleric Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the leader of the so-called Wahhabi Islam, who remained in control of Saudi Arabia for decades.
The agreement includes Abdul Wahab's support for the House of Saud in power, from a religious point of view, while the ruling family financially supports the Wahhabi family and allows it to have authority over education and public morals, and even laws were the same Wahhabi.
In 1727, it is related to the rise to power of Mohammed bin Saud as the founder of the first Saudi state, after his control of the Emirate of Diriyah north of Riyadh.
“The new interpretation of the birth of the state clearly underestimates the role of religion, ” says Schmidt Feuerhard, highlighting that“ the goal is a national campaign to celebrate non-religious holidays. ”
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia declared Flag Day, a day officially celebrated for the first time on March 11, 2023, which dates back to the day the current Saudi flag was approved by King Abdulaziz.
The royal decree referred to the Testimony of Tawhid as symbolizing "the message of peace and Islam" while the sword symbolizes "strength, nobility, wisdom and prestige".
The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs also announced major changes to the rules of the month of Ramadan, including urging not to bring children to mosques, prohibiting collection of donations inside mosques, not to be absent from work except for the utmost necessity, taking into account the conditions of people in Taraweeh prayers and supplications, and prohibiting the use of cameras in mosques.
Change in a general context
These changes have generally been accepted by a large number of Saudis, and Schmidt Fuerherd points to several explanations for the phenomenon, including sending tens of thousands of Saudis abroad with full government funding, that have made them receptive to these cultural changes in the country.
Education and job creation for Saudi youth have also become priorities for the kingdom, a key part of Vision 2030, announced by the crown prince during his rise in politics, since he was crown prince ’ s deputy.
Since 2016, Mohammed bin Salman has announced a series of decisions to change the face of the conservative kingdom.
This included diversifying the economy by not making it focused on oil, modernizing the country ’ s infrastructure, creating a recreational policy that allowed the establishment of music festivals and the opening of cinemas, and the largest beneficiaries are the women of the Kingdom, which eased restrictions on them, including allowing driving and Hajj and Umrah without a mahram, and mixing became normal, as well as abolishing the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
Mohammed bin Salman wants to modernize Saudi society without guaranteeing political freedoms
Freedom is not guaranteed!
Activist Loujain al-Hathloul spent three years in prison for defending women ’ s rights. Last year, 34-year-old Salma al-Shehab was sentenced to 34 years in prison for liking or tweeting about human rights in the kingdom. Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison. For the same reason.
“While there are more social freedoms, the state wants to remain the owner of change. ”
Schmidt Feuerherd says, “So any form of political activity is thwarted, and critics and opponents are portrayed as traitors to the nation. ”
Jennifer Hollis / EG

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Women's rights activists are among those affected by the reforms, facing arrest and detention.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The reforms have relaxed the women's guardianship system, allowing them to travel and apply for passports without male consent.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Women still face restrictions, including needing male permission to marry, and have low labor force participation.

Title:

Content: Despite the government ’ s alleged reforms,
Widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Sunday 01 January 2023 - 05: 52 GMT
The widespread German network Deutsche Welle has highlighted the persistence of widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia despite alleged government reforms.
World - Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities continue to discriminate against women as second-class citizens with an unchanging authoritarian guardianship system and strict disobedience laws and rules that restrict the rights of unmarried women.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the so-called “social and economic reform ” dubbed Vision 2030 in April 2016, the status of women has changed dramatically, with the network seeing that some laws were in favor of women and others headed for the worse.
While women activists like Loujain al-Hathloul were jailed for three years following a drive for women to drive, the relevant legislation was changed in 2018 — and according to research firm Statista — within a year and a half, more than 175,000 women applied.
Driving license in Riyadh.
Other laws have been amended since 2018, meaning women are now allowed to apply for a passport without the consent of a male guardian and go to cinemas with their boyfriends.
Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of women ’ s activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who is the head of communications and surveillance at the London-based ALQST Human Rights Organisation, said: “The regime of repression is still in place ” in Saudi Arabia.
Because of the male guardianship system, girls and women still rely on male guardian consent for most decisions.
In case of disobedience, these guardians, who could be fathers, husbands, brothers or sons, are entitled to be sent to so-called “care homes ” — forever, al-Hathloul said.
Moreover, this year, three court rulings starkly emphasized the Saudi ambivalence between men and women.
In January, a court in the city convicted Yasser M.
Verbal sexual harassment of a woman.
He was sentenced to eight months in prison and a fine of 5,000 rials (1,265 euros / $1,330).
Yasir M was one of the first cases to be convicted following the tightening of Saudi legislation to combat sexual harassment in 2019.
But in August, PhD student Salma al-Shehab, 34, was sentenced to 34 years in prison, and a month later Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Both were convicted of retweeting human rights calls.
“The result is fear — people no longer know what the red lines are, ” said al-Hathloul. For her, the liberation of women ’ s rights over the past four years is nowhere near what Saudi women really want.
“We want to live in Saudi Arabia without fear and be able to claim our rights. ”
According to the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS), Saudi Arabia ranks lowest globally.
According to the index, female labor force participation remains low across the region despite a rapid rise in female education rates and improved access to health care.
Women hold only 16 per cent of legislative seats in MENA countries compared to 25 per cent globally.
Certain States actively suppress women's rights by persecuting women's rights activists.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Saudi Arabia, where authorities arbitrarily arrest and detain women ’ s rights leaders with impunity.
The authorities of the House of Saud, a legitimate permanent resident of the United States, arrested Aziza al-Yousef in May 2018 on charges related to her peaceful human rights activism.
Despite her provisional release in March 2019, Ms. Al-Yousef cannot leave the Kingdom due to pending charges in court.
Source: Saudi Leaks

Title:

Content: Follow Us:
Friday, December 10, 2021

Progress for saudi women is uneven, despite cultural changes and more jobs

Over the last five years, the percentage of women working outside the home has almost doubled, according to official statistics, to 32% from nearly 18%.

By: New York Times | Riyadh |
December 10, 2021 10:45:24 am
A group of women and children picnic at Wadi Hanifa park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 29, 2021. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

Written by Kate Kelly

At the cramped shop where Kholoud Ahmed sells the traditional Muslim women’s gowns known as abayas, the rainbow of colors is a revelation.

In the past, women in Riyadh typically dressed in the same black abaya no matter where they were going. Now, observed Ahmed, 21, there’s a differently colored or styled abaya for every occasion: weddings, meeting friends at a cafe, visiting parents.

“Colored abayas used to be a strange thing for us in Riyadh, something unusual,” said Ahmed, the store’s clerk. “Within a year it has significantly changed. It has become normal nowadays.”

Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader more than four years ago, he has promised new opportunities for Saudi women as part of a broad modernization plan called Vision 2030.

The plan, which is advertised across Riyadh on posters and flags, is meant to wean the kingdom away from its historical reliance on oil and shift it toward new industries, including technology, pharmaceuticals and tourism.

Women shop for abayas, or traditional Muslim womenÕs gowns, at a store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

But to create more job opportunities for Saudis and draw international investors and corporations to the desert monarchy, Crown Prince Mohammed is also chipping away at the conservative culture that has kept many women close to home for years and scared away many foreigners.

Over the last five years, the percentage of women working outside the home has almost doubled, according to official statistics, to 32% from nearly 18%. Women today serve as customs officials at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, client relationship managers at banks and hostesses at restaurants.

In addition to changes in the workplace, public space is becoming less strictly segregated by sex. In coffee shops in Riyadh like Overdose (motto: “Caffeine, it’s my drug of choice”), male and female customers can now sip lattes in mixed company.

Women can attend certain sporting events at stadiums, which was forbidden until a few years ago. They are no longer required to use separate entrances from men although some establishments still use them. They can also now apply for passports, live by themselves and travel on their own.

But the progress has been uneven.

Soccer fans withÊHattan Bahebri, center, a midfielder for Al Shabab, after a match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021.ÊWomen have been able to attend sporting events in Saudi Arabia since 2018. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

The guardianship system, which despite some recent reforms is still in place, means that women must rely on permission from men — often their fathers or husbands, but in some cases their sons — to enter into marriages and make key decisions.

One prominent women’s rights activist was jailed for three years after pushing publicly for some of the very changes Crown Prince Mohammed wanted to make — including allowing women to drive. She has since been released and has published a research paper on the status of Saudi women.

Those fits and starts are also evident in quotidian ways. Women’s attire in Riyadh, though more relaxed than a few years ago, is still far from liberal; even women who avoid abayas wear clothes with long sleeves, high necklines and low hemlines.

They may be using money from their newly earned paychecks to shop for kitten-heeled boots and slip dresses at Zara, but such outfits are still worn only in private settings.

“It’s not like before, like you have to wear, like, hijab and everything,” said Marwa, a 19-year-old university student who was shopping at Ahmed’s shop, referring to the traditional head scarf worn by Saudi women. “Now you can have free choice, but limited. It’s not like you are showing parts of your body.”

However much things have changed, the culture remains sufficiently conservative — and cautious of angering the authorities — that Marwa, like many of the Riyadh residents interviewed for this article, declined to give her full name.

Marwa said other cultural changes, like allowing store owners to remain open during prayer time to accommodate both merchants and shoppers, created problems of their own.

Some people who are devout and would pray no matter what, she said, could be offended by the business-as-usual attitude. “It’s like you’re not respecting the prayer time,” she said. Her friend Alaa — who wore sweatpants and sneakers under her abaya and sported a wrist tattoo that said “Trust no one” — nodded.

Prayer time at a shopping mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021. Women say Saudi Arabia has advanced significantly in just the past year, with more choices regarding work, fashion and social spaces, but restrictions remain everywhere. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

During the call to prayer a few minutes later, a number of male store workers nearby locked their doors and walked to the mall’s prayer room on an upper floor. On the ground floor, about 10 women, patrons who were wearing black abayas and hijabs, took rugs from a corner pile and knelt on them to pray. Other women sat quietly on benches, watching their children ride around in battery-operated toy cars.

A 52-year-old father of six, who gave only a nickname, Abu Abdullah, said he saw the benefits of more flexible prayer times and new opportunities for women. “During traveling, we don’t pray,” he said. “Even women, they don’t pray for seven days,” referring to the fact that women are forbidden to pray when they are menstruating.

Several of Abu Abdullah’s five daughters were standing nearby, eating buttered corn and french fries. One of them, Nout al-Qahtani, 13, said she was thrilled about the changes for women in Saudi Arabia. “I want to work,” she said. “I really want to be a doctor.”

Her father noted that not every dream job would be appropriate.

“Some jobs don’t fit for some women,” he said, citing roles in plumbing and construction work as examples. “It’s better to put her in the right place,” he added.

Five miles north of the mall, a local soccer club, Al Shabab, was playing an out-of-town team at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium. It was a mild evening, and the crowd was animated when the home team scored. On the men’s side of the stadium, hundreds of men jumped to their feet, chanting and clapping for the players.

Across the stadium on what’s known as the family side, where women and children were directed to sit, Najiba, a nurse at the hospital complex King Fahd Medical City, was watching with two colleagues. Although women have been able to go to sports events in Saudi since 2018, it was only her second time at a match.

FILE Ñ Crown Prince Mohammed is depicted at left on a billboard advertising the Vision 2030 modernization plan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 28, 2018. (Tasneem Alsultan/The New York Times)

Najiba, 34, and her friends said that they were seeing far more Saudi women working at the hospital in recent years, and that the idea of women in medical careers had become more palatable to families who might previously have considered a mixed-gender working environment problematic.

“Now the family accepts if they have a daughter or a wife working in health care,” said Najiba, who was a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit for years before taking on an administrative role.

Below the nurses, a few children were playing in the front row. One child, who had been running around and yelling, was scolded by a female security guard.

Several female spectators said they never missed a match. One, a 29-year-old manager at the Saudi British Bank attending with her brother, spoke highly of Riyadh’s new entertainment options and the growing economic opportunities for women. “We’re so excited,” she said.

A little after 9:30 p.m., the match ended in a 3-0 victory for Al Shabab.

As the crowd dispersed, one of its star players, the midfielder Hattan Bahebri, was signing autographs for dozens of fans through the fence that separated the stands from the field.

At one point, he held his hands in a heart shape in front of him. A clutch of men encircled the player, some with children hoisted on their shoulders. But one woman, her pink-tinted sunglasses atop her hijab, walked to the front of the crowd, raised her phone and got the shot.

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The reception of the reforms in Saudi society has been mixed, with some welcoming and others opposing the changes.

Title:

Content: After the Salma case.
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights
22 / 08 / 19 | 19: 15 - Source: Free
An opinion piece published in the New York Times sheds light on the reality of the reforms announced by Saudi Arabia in granting women ’ s rights, especially allowing them to drive and loosening the control of their male guardians.
Note: The content of the title (after the case of Salma..
Doubting the truth of Saudi reforms in the field of women's rights) was first published on the website of (Al-Hurra) and does not bear the content of this day's news encyclopedia in any way.
You can find out the details of this post (after Salma ’ s case).
Doubting the reality of Saudi reforms in the field of women ’ s rights) through its original source (Al-Hurra).
Continue reading Free.
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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Implementing reforms is hindered by conservative resistance, the need for institutional reform, and balancing modernization with tradition.

Mohammed bin Salman has faced international criticism, particularly after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Title:

Content: Monday, January 2, 2023
Newspaper: The only son of Salman in the House of Saud who enjoys rudeness and power together
Newspaper: The only son of Salman in the House of Saud who enjoys rudeness and power together
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ruled the kingdom since 2017 with sole power in the life of his father, King Salman.
- Advertisement -
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia since 2017, is the only Saudi ruler with the “rudeness and authority ” to move forward with the bold transformations that have taken place in Saudi society since he took power.
Mohammed bin Salman is a shameless political figure.
Saudi Arabia is witnessing radical and unprecedented changes in its cultural orientation, by organizing concerts that violate public morals and morals, and allowing artists and stars of the world to perform in front of thousands of young men and women.
The pace of change in Saudi Arabia has come as a shock to a Saudi society that has long been accustomed to quiet social life.
She says Mohammed bin Salman, who was recently appointed prime minister, is now the only Saudi ruler who “has the rudeness and authority to move forward with such a profound transformation of Saudi society. ”
Saudi Arabia has become a witness to new and unprecedented acts that were once taboo in the kingdom, such as young men dating their girlfriends, walking around without a hijab or wearing indecent clothes.
At festivals, revelers wear jeans, shorts, T-shirts and even mesh shirts, while men and women dance together in scenes peculiar to conservative Saudi society.
Mohammed bin Salman is building a full-fledged Saudi dictator
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The new trends, which Mohammed bin Salman considered a step in social emancipation, were accompanied by the consolidation of an illiberal political climate with one person in charge: the crown prince.
Mohammed bin Salman rules Saudi Arabia today in a way that resembles the more centralized Arab dictatorships in Egypt and Syria, breaking with the consultative system that the kingdom used to use.
The crown prince also faces persistent accusations of using extreme measures to neutralize anyone who opposes or is insufficiently enthusiastic about his policies.
As was the case of the Saudi journalist residing in the United States, Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed by a Saudi team at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, in October 2018.
The United States has concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered Khashoggi ’ s brutal murder.
Last summer, two Saudi women were sentenced to 34 and 45 years in prison, mainly for expressing dissent on social media, rights groups said, noting that the sentences were the longest ever against activists.
The current political climate in Saudi Arabia is limited to providing an opportunity to talk about public affairs to those authorized to do so by the authorities.
In televised interviews, activists are seen criticizing government policies — arguing that tourism revenues cannot replace oil revenues, or that spending on flashy entertainment projects ignores more pressing infrastructure problems.
On Twitter, Saudi Arabia ’ s favorite social media platform, previously important accounts that had an impact on public affairs in the country have been suspended or deleted.
Overthrowing the sheikhs, exporting the open and scandals
The Los Angeles Times reports that Mohammed bin Salman has overthrown the once-powerful authority of the sheikhs, which was a key pillar of the ruling Al Saud family ’ s power.
Imams who spoke out against the new trends of Mohammed bin Salman have been jailed.
The chilling backlash from religious conservatives has not materialized strongly, though it is unclear whether their calm stems from fear or indifference, or both.
International condemnation of the crown prince, which peaked after Khashoggi ’ s murder, has also fallen somewhat, despite political repression at home and state actions such as the largest mass execution — 81 people in a single day in March 2022, in the kingdom ’ s history.
Last year, Human Rights Watch invited some artists and promoters at the Soundstorm Festival to speak out against Saudi rights violations, or “refuse to participate in another Saudi abuse because of their role in serving plans to decorate the image of Mohammed bin Salman. ”
My understanding of ergotism.
Fahmy Alorghami is a Tunisian journalist editor and translator.
I have translated several studies, published with Arab think tanks, from English to Arabic on political populism in the Arab world and the political transition within Arab regimes after the 2011 revolutions.
He is interested in migration issues and developments; he has drafted a policy paper on migration and its prospects from Tunisia to Europe.
Followers of Arab and Tunisian political news in particular.
Passionate about journalism and journalistic editorial work.
He holds a degree in Citizen Journalism from the Arab Institute for Human Rights.
For two years (since July 2020), I have worked as a newspaper editor for political articles and reports on the Maghreb region.
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The reforms have brought significant changes to Saudi society, including a more vibrant cultural scene and increased opportunities for women and businesses.

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The implementation of reforms in Saudi Arabia requires navigating its complex social and political landscape to balance different groups' needs.

Title:

Content: The Saudi people surprise bin Salman with these attitudes
Sunday 19 December 2021 - 07: 19 GMT
The results of a rare poll of the Saudi public opinion of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after it revealed popular anger at the growing reality of corruption in the Kingdom and opposition to normalization with the occupation.
World - Saudi Arabia
The results of the Washington Institute ’ s survey said: “Saudis are concerned about the increasing corruption of state institutions and deteriorating economic conditions.
Saudis believe the kingdom ’ s government is not interested in reducing corruption rates in economic and political life, nor is it dealing with growing economic problems affecting people ’ s lives.
On domestic issues, Saudi citizens are more concerned with corruption than general economic conditions — and less concerned with privacy or individual freedoms.
Only 38% of the public say the Saudi authorities are doing “very little ” to“ deal with the kingdom ’ s growing economic problems and the daily hardships of the people. ”
Fewer people (29%) express these findings and indicate a significant discrepancy between Saudi and foreign perceptions about the prominence of these concerns.
On all of these issues, as in the recent past, the survey reveals very small differences in attitudes among those over the age of 30 or under — or between Saudi Sunnis and the country ’ s roughly 10 percent Shiite minority.
The same applies to sectarian or generational attitudes on foreign policy issues, whether on Iran, Iraq, Israel or the United States.
The poll showed that more than half of the Saudi population supports rapprochement with Turkey, while the majority of Saudis still reject full and formal normalization of relations with Israel.
38% agree that “people who want to make business or sports contacts with Israelis should be allowed to do so. ”
Saudi public opinion remains mostly opposed to full official normalization of relations with the occupation government.
Only 16% express a positive opinion about the “peace agreements between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan ” – a surprising and unjustified drop from what it was when last measured in July 2021, when 36% expressed support for the agreements.
A similarly low percentage (13%) said the discrepancy between the large minority that accepts practical deals with Israel and the small minority that supports open formal relations helps to understand the Saudi government ’ s corresponding cautious policies on this sensitive issue.
This comes as the Saudi opposition party, the National Gathering, launched a propaganda campaign in the streets of Washington, DC, and in front of the Saudi embassy there, to support freedom and democracy wasted in the Kingdom.
Hezbollah Secretary General Abdullah al-Awda tweeted: “In front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington.
"We, the people of Saudi Arabia, deserve freedom and democracy."
Al-Awda added in a separate tweet: “The streets of Washington, D.C. today see trucks crossing its streets saying ‘ We deserve democracy, not Mr. Menshar ’, in front of the White House, in front of Congress, in front of the Saudi Embassy, and on Jamal Khashoggi ’ s new road! ”
Walid al-Hathloul, an opposition Saudi activist, commented on the campaign: “The National Gathering Party publishes awareness boards around Washington DC and the board says: We deserve democracy and not Mr. Manshar (Abu Manshar). ”
Saudi feminism, Shuaa, said: “We are a people who deserve democracy, freedom and political participation, not to be ruled by an ignorant, stupid and corrupt criminal, ” referring to Mohammed bin Salman.
Source: Saudi Leaks

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The success of the reforms will depend on the government's ability to address the concerns of all segments of Saudi society.

Title:

Content: Despite the government ’ s alleged reforms,
Widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Sunday 01 January 2023 - 05: 52 GMT
The widespread German network Deutsche Welle has highlighted the persistence of widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia despite alleged government reforms.
World - Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities continue to discriminate against women as second-class citizens with an unchanging authoritarian guardianship system and strict disobedience laws and rules that restrict the rights of unmarried women.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the so-called “social and economic reform ” dubbed Vision 2030 in April 2016, the status of women has changed dramatically, with the network seeing that some laws were in favor of women and others headed for the worse.
While women activists like Loujain al-Hathloul were jailed for three years following a drive for women to drive, the relevant legislation was changed in 2018 — and according to research firm Statista — within a year and a half, more than 175,000 women applied.
Driving license in Riyadh.
Other laws have been amended since 2018, meaning women are now allowed to apply for a passport without the consent of a male guardian and go to cinemas with their boyfriends.
Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of women ’ s activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who is the head of communications and surveillance at the London-based ALQST Human Rights Organisation, said: “The regime of repression is still in place ” in Saudi Arabia.
Because of the male guardianship system, girls and women still rely on male guardian consent for most decisions.
In case of disobedience, these guardians, who could be fathers, husbands, brothers or sons, are entitled to be sent to so-called “care homes ” — forever, al-Hathloul said.
Moreover, this year, three court rulings starkly emphasized the Saudi ambivalence between men and women.
In January, a court in the city convicted Yasser M.
Verbal sexual harassment of a woman.
He was sentenced to eight months in prison and a fine of 5,000 rials (1,265 euros / $1,330).
Yasir M was one of the first cases to be convicted following the tightening of Saudi legislation to combat sexual harassment in 2019.
But in August, PhD student Salma al-Shehab, 34, was sentenced to 34 years in prison, and a month later Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Both were convicted of retweeting human rights calls.
“The result is fear — people no longer know what the red lines are, ” said al-Hathloul. For her, the liberation of women ’ s rights over the past four years is nowhere near what Saudi women really want.
“We want to live in Saudi Arabia without fear and be able to claim our rights. ”
According to the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS), Saudi Arabia ranks lowest globally.
According to the index, female labor force participation remains low across the region despite a rapid rise in female education rates and improved access to health care.
Women hold only 16 per cent of legislative seats in MENA countries compared to 25 per cent globally.
Certain States actively suppress women's rights by persecuting women's rights activists.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Saudi Arabia, where authorities arbitrarily arrest and detain women ’ s rights leaders with impunity.
The authorities of the House of Saud, a legitimate permanent resident of the United States, arrested Aziza al-Yousef in May 2018 on charges related to her peaceful human rights activism.
Despite her provisional release in March 2019, Ms. Al-Yousef cannot leave the Kingdom due to pending charges in court.
Source: Saudi Leaks

Saudi Arabia's Vision 203

Saudi Arabia's Vision 203

Saudi Arabia's Vision 203