Inaugurating a dialogue session titled “Women: empowerment and achievement,” organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day, at the HRC headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday, she also highlighted the great attention being paid to women during the present era of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, saying that the current period has been witnessing a qualitative leap. “The wise leadership pays great attention to women and made them an essential element in development, advancement, and construction so as to share with the groups of society the efforts of the development process,” she said adding, “we all recall on this occasion, the reforms and empowerment of women that have been achieved in this country, making them assume the leading and deserving position.”

HRC Vice-President Abdulaziz Al-Khayyal and European Union Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Patrick Simonnet were among those who attended the session. Officials and representatives of a number of government agencies and civil society institutions participated in the dialogue session.

Jood Al-Harthi, political affairs officer in the office of the UN secretary-general, was the main speaker in the first session, titled: “Fingerprints in empowerment.” In her speech, she said that all the challenges that women had faced in the past have disappeared and the stereotype about them has been changed, and they have an active presence even in the international arenas. Dr. Areej Al-Juhani, advisor to the deputy minister of health for human resources for business quality, Dr. Amal Al-Shehri, dean of postgraduate studies at Najran University, and Maha Al-Dosari from the General Directorate of Prisons, spoke on the occasion.

The speakers in the second session titled “After the decisions,” included Deputy Sergeant Maryam Al-Enezi of the General Directorate of Prisons, Corporal Maha Al-Shahrani of the Ministry of Interior, Intisar Bint Siraj Derbah, and Manal bint Abdullah Barnawi, an administrator in the tourism sector.