JEDDAH: The Center for Promising Research for Social Research and Women Studies at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) will hold a two-day conference for studies on Saudi women, starting on Wednesday, Oct. 24, it was announced on Monday. The conference will be the first of its kind in the Kingdom.
The vice president for graduate studies and scientific research at PNU, Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghadeer, said the conference will discuss the personality traits of Saudi women, as well their role in culture, literature, history, language, and community service.
“The conference also aims to shed light on the importance of studying women’s participation in development, to support social and economic transformation and, subsequently, achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, in addition to providing specialized scientific studies in the field of women’s studies,” he added.
Al-Ghadeer said the conference, which will bring together 70 male and female researchers from inside and outside the Kingdom, will present 48 scientific papers during 10 sessions and two discussions. The conference which examine several topics, including literature, media, arts, community service, and women’s participation in sustainable development.
He stressed his hope that the conference would achieve its goals and that its recommendations and outcomes would help achieve PNU’s vision and Vision 2030, in terms of empowering women.
The head of the Center for Promising Research for Social Research and Women Studies, Dr. Maha bint Ali Al-Khoshail, explained that the conference will contribute to raising awareness about the importance of conducting studies on Saudi women, their challenges and needs, enhancing their contribution in society, and improving their role in development to reflect “a true image stemming from the Saudi society and its strong values and identity, and allow researchers to exchange scientific experience in this field.”
The center’s deputy head, Dr. Nada Al-Rakaf, pointed out that the conference will be accompanied by an art exhibition entitled “Saudi Women: Present and Future,” featuring work from 16 students and seven Saudi female artists who “transparently express themselves and reflect Saudi artists’ views on women.”
The exhibition will present artworks by distinguished students from the Visual Arts Department at the PNU College of Arts and Design to shed light on the new image of Saudi women through figurative painting, concept art, vacuum formation, and sculptures. These students represent the promising young generation that will improve the field of arts.
The conference will be organized based on the vision of PNU in order to achieve its strategic objective to tackle women-related issues, provide a scientific environment concerned with women’s studies, in general, and Saudi women, in specific, and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s efforts to empower women as well as the success of the development plans of Vision 2030.
Princess Nourah University holds first conference for Saudi women’s studies
Princess Nourah University holds first conference for Saudi women’s studies
SAMA reports 5% growth in foreign reserves to hit $463bn
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserve assets saw a monthly rise of 5 percent in November, climbing to SR1.74 trillion ($463.6 billion) according to the Kingdom’s central bank.
The increase of SR8.4 billion reinforces the strength and liquidity of the national financial position, and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s strategic objective to bolster its financial safety net amid ongoing economic diversification efforts under Vision 2030.
The reserve assets, a crucial indicator of economic stability and external financial strength, comprise several key components.
According to the central bank, also known as SAMA, the Kingdom’s reserves include foreign securities, foreign currency, and bank deposits, as well as its reserve position at the International Monetary Fund, Special Drawing Rights, and monetary gold.
A detailed breakdown revealed sustained annual growth across major reserve categories. Foreign currency reserves, which constitute the vast majority at 94.5 percent of total assets, grew by nearly 3 percent year on year to SR1.64 trillion.
The Kingdom’s reserve position at the IMF also saw a 5 percent yearly increase, reaching SR12.8 billion, while SDRs rose by 4 percent year on year to SR80.6 billion.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s monetary gold holdings remain a steady anchor within its reserves, unchanged at SR1.62 billion since November 2008, underscoring a deliberate long-term strategy.
Overall, the continued rise in reserve assets highlights the strength of Saudi Arabia’s fiscal and monetary buffers. These resources support the national currency, help maintain financial system stability, and enhance the Kingdom’s ability to navigate global economic volatility.
The sustained accumulation of foreign reserves is a critical pillar of the Kingdom’s economic stability. It directly reinforces investor confidence in the riyal’s peg to the US dollar, a foundational monetary policy, by providing SAMA with ample resources to defend the currency if needed.
Furthermore, this financial buffer enhances the nation’s sovereign credit profile, lowers national borrowing costs, and provides essential fiscal space to navigate global economic volatility while continuing to fund its ambitious Vision 2030 transformation agenda.
