Women Can Now Join Armed Forces: Saudi Arabia

In a bid to promote women empowerment, Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it will permit women in the ultra-conservative kingdom to serve in the armed forces. This is part of a broad programme of economic and social reforms that have been undertaken in recent times that aim to broaden the rights of women in the kingdom.

“Another step to empowerment,” the foreign ministry wrote on Twitter, adding that women would be able to serve as private first class, corporal or sergeant.

Another step to empowerment, #Saudi women to join the army for the first time pic.twitter.com/OyM6FBgpkF

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) October 9, 2019

Key Takeaways:

• Saudi Women can now join the Armed forces. The step aims to empower women. 
• Women would be able to serve as private first class, corporal or sergeant.
• In the last five years, Saudi Arabia has taken many such positive measures in the direction of women emancipation.

Saudi Arabia will now permit women in the ultra-conservative kingdom to serve in the armed forces

Saudi Arabia has been taking numerous measures for the welfare of women. Here are some of them-:

Car showroom for women

Saudi Arabia got its first car showroom for women in Le Mall in Jeddah. It was launched in January 2018 and interestingly, only women employees are running the showroom.

Women Entrepreneurship

It also promoted women entrepreneurship by allowing women to start their own business, without authorization from a male guardian.

Besides this, Saudi passport directorate opened about 140 job applications for women in air traffic control.

Freedom to drive

The country also gave women permission to drive their own vehicles. The country also organized a women’s cycling race last year.

Spying on spouse’s phone as a criminal offense

Recently, it also announced major changes with an aim to enhance cybersecurity. Now, spying on a spouse’s phone will be seen as a violation of privacy and a criminal offense in Saudi Arabia. And the guilty person will have to endure a heavy fine or a year in jail.

Read Also: Saudi Arabia announces a four woman squad for Rio Olympics 2016

Fashion Week

The Arab nation also reopened its movie halls recently. It also organised its first Arab Fashion Week in the capital city of Riyadh. The event venue, however, had restricted access for women only. No men were allowed but the event was still a step towards progress.

Addressing sexual harassment

It also recently passed a law which recognises sexual harassment as a crime in the country.

“The law is aimed at combating and preventing the crime of harassment, enforcing penalty on perpetrators, protecting victims and safeguarding the individual’s privacy, dignity and freedom ensured by the Islamic sharia law,” the Council had said in an official statement.

The Arab nation also reopened its movie halls recently. It also organised its first Arab Fashion Week in the capital city of Riyadh.

Promoting yoga

It also declared the practice of yoga as a sports activity.

Women-only gyms

It also opened female-only gyms in every district. The aim was to give women access to recreational activities so that they could join a gym without any hesitation.

Picture Credits: Alarabiya

Also Read: Saudi Arabia Opens Doors To Women-Only Gyms