In another history-making move for Saudi Arabia, three female cultural attaches have been appointed, which is a first for the nation.
The appointment was made by the Education Minister for the Kingdom, Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh, who determined the new positions of the three Saudi women, all of whom are educators, according to the nation’s state news agency.
Fahda bint Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has been appointed as cultural attache in Ireland; Dr. Amal bint Jameel Fatani has been appointed cultural attache in the UK; and Dr. Yusra bint Hussain Al-Jazairi has been appointed as acting cultural attache in Morocco.
#وزير_التعليم يصدر قرارات تكليف عدد من الملحقين الثقافيين في دول خليجية وعربية وصديقة من بينهم ثلاث سيدات؛ يتقلدن هذا المنصب للمرة الأولى، وذلك تمكيناً للمرأة السعودية لخدمة وطنها وقيادتها.https://t.co/CoFDoNU8HJ pic.twitter.com/scGn1VQSGZ
— وزارة التعليم – جامعي (@mohe_sa) August 2, 2020
Three other appointments for cultural attaches were also made – Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Al-Furaih for Egypt; Dr. Issa bin Fahd Al-Rumaih for Jordan; and Dr. Saad bin Mohammed Al-Shabana for Kuwait.
This latest appointment of the three female cultural attaches is just one of the many things have changed for women in the last few years in the Kingdom, since Mohammed bin Salman was appointed Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in 2017.
Under his Vision 2030 initiative, an ambitious post-oil economic plan, there has been a major focus on women’s rights in the Kingdom.
Just three months after he stepped into the role in 2017, the Crown Prince revealed in a royal decree, women would be able to secure driving licenses from June 2018.
Then, in March 2018, it was announced by the Ministry of Justice that women who are divorced in the country would be able to instantly retain custody of their children.
Under his plans, women are now also able to attend sports events in stadiums in three cities, female students in the Kingdom are now allowed to carry their phones while on campus and as of August 2019, women aged over 21 are now allowed to travel independently.
