Saudi women: Opportunities and challenges in science and technology

Abstract

Women inequality is one of the issues used to criticize the policy in Islamic World. Social inequality fueled the outbreak of the Arab Spring. Ongoing plight across Arab counties had not achieved successful resolution. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz focused on modernizing the deeply conservative Saudi society, governed by Sharia'a law, through Science diplomacy. Under his leadership, the kingdom's diplomatic relation with the developed countries was empowered allowing transfer of modern scientific education equally for both men and women. This included the overhauled of the existing scientific educational & research institutions, introducing new institutions with state of the art scientific facilities, promoting technology exchange of various research programs with international scientific institutions, establishment of the first mixed-gender post graduate university , involving international faculties &students , scholarship program allowed male & female students to study at developed countries. The gender gap in university registration, Saudi Arabia ranks no. 25th. Saudi women are vigorously pursuing higher education especially in science at a rate greater than Saudi men & Western women. They are becoming pioneers in a variety of fields, most prominently in science and research, assigned in different types of posts which were not allowed, such as work in industry, leading decision making government, private sector posts & Shura cabinet members. They are receiving international awards, granted patents for their ideas and innovations. King Abdulaziz first class Saudi medal awarded to women scientists.