Riyadh: As part of the partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the National Competitiveness Center, and the World Bank Group, the Center organized knowledge-exchange sessions today in Riyadh within the framework of the World Bank's Program for Women's Economic Empowerment in the Arab Mashriq. The sessions were attended by 17 officials from 11 Iraqi government entities, alongside experts from the World Bank Group.
According to Saudi Press Agency, during the opening of the sessions, which highlighted the Kingdom's legislative reforms aimed at enhancing women's participation in the labor force, Vice Minister of Commerce and Chief Executive Officer of the National Competitiveness Center Eiman Al-Mutairi affirmed that the vision launched by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has driven an unprecedented transformation that strengthened Saudi women's participation in the Kingdom's comprehensive development. She noted that the participation rate of Saudi women in the labor market has reached 36%.
She also reviewed the Saudi model for implementing economic and development reforms, mechanisms for engaging the private sector during the implementation phase, and the most prominent reforms undertaken to enhance the Kingdom's competitiveness. She highlighted the integration of efforts among 65 Saudi government entities, which led to the implementation of more than 900 economic reforms and the issuance and updating of 1,200 laws and regulations. These efforts have contributed to positioning the Kingdom's business environment among the world's leading destinations and among the most supportive of women's participation in economic development.
The sessions included a presentation by Vice Governor for Training at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation Adel Al-Zenaidi, who addressed expanding employment opportunities and improving labor market outcomes through technical and vocational education and training. He highlighted the development of practical and entrepreneurial skills aligned with labor market needs, as well as efforts to enhance institutional quality, governance, and the efficiency of training systems.
From the Iraqi side, Director General of the National Department for Iraqi Women at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers Yusra Karim, and Secretary-General of the High Council of Women Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government Khanzad Ahmed, discussed national priorities and the enabling framework for Iraqi women through government strategies and legal reforms.
