The Ministry of Defense has opened its doors for Saudi women in a landmark step to realize the ambitious goals of the Vision 2030 in terms of empowering Saudi women and increasing their active participation in all spheres of life. The Ministry of Defense, through the General Directorate of Admission and Recruitment in the Armed Forces, has announced the opening the gate of uniform admission and recruitment for female in military jobs to holders of all types of qualifications. They can work in the ranks of first soldier, corporal, deputy sergeant and sergeant in the branches of the Saudi Royal Land Forces as well as in the Royal Air Forces, Royal Navy, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, strategic missiles sector, and medical services for the armed forces, Asharq Al Awsat reported. It is for the first time, the Ministry of Defense is opening its doors to four branches of the Saudi armed forces, through providing military ranks, which is another milestone in their empowerment. During last year, Saudi women were enrolled in military ranks in various wings of the Public Security, including the departments of anti-narcotics, prisons, and criminal investigation, besides allowing them to work in inspection raid teams, and Customs Department. Women are also hired as security guards in many markets and public and private hospitals to serve women and reduce crimes committed by women, and by this engage in overall duty to maintain security in the community. In the Ministry of Interior, women continue to work in the divisions of traffic, road security, security patrols, Haj and Umrah security, weapons and explosives, and intellectual and moral guidance. There has been tremendous response from young women to take up jobs in these areas. Haya Al-Manie, member of the Shoura Council, said Saudi women empowerment received a shot-in-the-arm by making available for them all types of jobs without limiting them to any certain areas. "Saudi women have entered many areas that had been previously inaccessible to them. This confirms the seriousness on the part of the political decision makers in scoring successes in the empowerment drive." She noted that Saudi women are aware of legislations that confirm their eligibility and rights as citizens, whether in issuing travel documents and reporting births. "It is quite natural for women to enter new work areas because it is an extension of a national vision that emphasizes that women and men are alike, and that the criterion is competence and not gender. Saudi women today face different challenges and the road is now open to them, beyond our expectations thanks to the speed of transformation." "I would not say the ball is in the women's court, but I am confident that the women's achievement is coming, with the strength of the support that they find from the Saudi government," Al-Manie added. Brig. Gen. Hassan Al-Shehri, a military expert and former director of the National Defense Operations Center at the Ministry of Defense, noted that the entry of women into the most important sovereign ministry in the Kingdom is a step in the right direction to achieve the Kingdom's goals. "I see that woman's participation in most of the ministry's branches in the air, sea and land sectors, will make her an active component of the ministry. There are vast areas in the ministry that women can work alongside men," he said while noting that the ministry will employ thousands of women, who are able to make a difference in their positions.
