This post is part of a series examining women’s labor force participation in the Gulf Arab states, including areas of growth and challenges facing women in the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia has recently announced decisions allowing women to apply for jobs in air traffic control, the traffic police, and the military, and to positions as investigators at the public prosecutor’s office. These decisions are made in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to increase women’s participation in the workforce from 22 to 30 percent.
For many conservative people in the Gulf Arab states, practicing medicine as a woman is still unacceptable.
Globally, computer science and information technology majors in universities are dominated by men. However, in the Middle East, 40 percent of university students specializing in computer science and IT are women.
Given how Syria after 2011 became a cockpit for external intervention in domestic affairs, the early signs this time for engagement of Gulf states appear more promising, particularly due to their ability to convene and lead in regional affairs.
Learn MoreUnderlying dynamics in U.S. society and the global political economy suggest Trump’s new nationalist coalition may endure with implications for Gulf partners.
Saudi Arabia is an important economic and financial partner for the United States, but the dimensions of actual and potential Saudi investments and trade with the United States are currently being exaggerated.
The use of pragmatic humanitarianism allows the UAE to advocate for strategies that reduce human suffering while also serving its national security interests.
Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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