Saudi opens all-women municipality office

Saudi Arabia has opened what is believed to be its first all-women municipality branch in Madinah to serve the female population.

Saudi Gazette reports that the branch will provide all the serviced offered by the municipality including business licence issuance, construction permits, inspection campaigns and investment opportunities.

“In compliance with the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, we worked on empowering women and facilitating our services for them. There are many qualified women to run the women branch,” Madinah Municipality head Mohammad Al-Amry was quoted as saying.

Former Shoura Council member and adviser to the minister of labour and social development, Hamdah Al-Enizi, described the opening as a positive step for the “empowerment of women”.

She said women “deserve equal employment opportunities” and are being given them by the country’s leadership.

The move is the latest step to encourage women to play a more active role in society in the conservative kingdom.

Recent decisions will see women be able to drive and enter sports stadiums for the first time from next year

Read: Saudi women to be allowed into sports stadiums

Read: Study reveals 82% of Saudi women plan to drive

The Ministry of Justice also announced plans to hire women for the first time earlier this month.

Read: Saudi justice ministry to hire women for the first time