Saudi Arabia opens military recruitment to women

Women can join the ranks of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces, following a ruling by the Saudi Ministry of Defense.

Both genders can sign up through a unified admission portal. Military ranks from soldier to sergeant will be available in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defense, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force, and Armed Forces Medical Services, local media reported.

All applicants must be medically fit and pass certain admission procedures, while some additional criteria have been added for female applicants.

Saudi female applicants must have a clean criminal record, be between 21 and 40 years old, have a height of 155 cm or taller, and must not be a government employee.

Females married to non-Saudi citizens are not eligible, while all prospects must be at least a high school graduate and hold an independent national identity card.

Meanwhile, male applicants wishing to join the armed forces must be between 17 and 40 years of age, with a minimum height of 160 cm.

This move is the latest in a series of measures aimed at increasing the rights of women in the kingdom. The plan was first announced in 2019.

With inputs from Bloomberg