JEDDAH: The Human Rights Commission in Saudi Arabia has said in a report that no fair observer can deny the recent empowerment of women in Saudi Arabia.
Women’s rights are stressed in the Basic Law of Governance, which prohibits discrimination against women and many other regulations contain provisions prohibiting all forms of discrimination.
Many criminal laws contain provisions providing for increased punishment when the victim is a woman, such as anti-trafficking laws, and participation in political and public life is a right available to every citizen in the Kingdom. A minimum of 20 percent of the seats in the Shoura Council have been allocated to women and the laws of the Kingdom have no provisions preventing women from holding senior positions.
The commission’s report stated that the labor system includes provisions to equalize rights and duties between men and women. The decision of the Minister of Labor No. (1/2370) dated 28/8/2010 prevent “any discrimination in wages between male and female workers.”
The Kingdom’s regulations guarantee maternity protection, especially in the workplace. The civil service system prohibits dismissal for any reason related to marriage or maternity.
The report added that Saudi systems offer women the opportunity to represent their government at regional and international levels, and there are no rules requesting the presence of a mahram (male guardian) for women to practice their legal, educational and other rights.
The report added that a judicial principle in 2013 gives women the right to divorce their husbands if they can not bear living with them. The Kingdom’s endorsement of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women gives them even more power.
The Commission’s report stressed that the issuance of the system of protection against abuse, which was prepared by a civil society institution, is a guarantee that contributes to stopping all forms of violence against women.
The Kingdoms education system is based on equality between men and women at all stages. The rate of illiteracy in the Kingdom 25 years ago was 60 percent, with women forming the majority of illiterate Saudis. This rate fell to just 5.31 percent in 2015.
The right to health care is one of the rights guaranteed by the Basic Law of Government. Article 27 of the law states that health care should be offered equally to men and women.
Saudi Vision 2030 states that women form an important component of the country's strength, accounting for more than 50 percent of the number of university graduates, and that work continues to develop their talents and enable them to have the opportunities to build their future and contribute to the development of society and the economy.
Human Rights Commission: Saudi Arabia supports women
Human Rights Commission: Saudi Arabia supports women
Saudi Arabia champions AI and sustainable growth at UN tourism meeting in Kuwait
- Saudi Tourism Minister says tourism today accounts for approximately 10 percent of the world economy, contributing about $10 trillion to global GDP
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb has called for stronger international cooperation to build a tourism ecosystem that is integrated, resilient, and future-ready, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday.
In a opening address at the 52nd UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East in Kuwait City, he noted that tourism is “no longer a peripheral activity but a massive engine of economic development.”
“With an estimated contribution exceeding $10 trillion to global GDP, tourism today accounts for approximately 10 percent of the world economy,” said Al-Khateeb, speaking as president of the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly. The three-day conference opened on Feb. 10 a.
He pointed to the Middle East’s exceptional recovery, which recorded a 39 percent increase in international arrivals in 2025 compared to 2019, welcoming nearly 100 million visitors last year.
The minister highlighted Saudi Arabia’s driving force behind these regional statistics, noting that the Kingdom now represents approximately 30% of the Middle East tourism market in both visitor numbers and spending.
“We are proud that Saudi tourism’s uninterrupted growth has become a driving force for regional tourism, and we look forward to continuing our close cooperation with UN Tourism to share our expertise with the world,” he said.
Focus on AI
Addressing the meeting’s central theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Al-Khateeb emphasized the need for responsible innovation. He described AI as a key enabler for growth but stressed that the “human touch” defining the hospitality sector must be maintained and the workforce protected.
On the sidelines of the regional commission, the minister met with counterparts from across the region to explore ways to promote regional cooperation and alignment to enhance resilience and build tourism industries that can drive inclusive economic and social development.
Al-Khateeb also met with leading investors from Kuwait to discuss investments in the Kingdom’s tourism sector and explore new opportunities to leverage Saudi Arabia’s integrated investment ecosystem, designed to enable regional and international investors to achieve sustainable, long-term value.
The 52nd UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East is the first held in the region since the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly, hosted in Riyadh last November.
That assembly resulted in the historic “Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism,” which established a global consensus on sustainability, inclusive growth, and the responsible adoption of human-centric AI for the next fifty years.
