The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced that it will allow women to serve in the armed forces as it embarks on a broad programme of economic and social reforms. The move is the latest in a series of measures aimed at increasing the rights of women in the kingdom.
“Another step to empowerment,” the foreign ministry wrote on Twitter, adding that women would be able to serve as private first class, corporal or sergeant. Last year, Saudi Arabia authorized women to join its security forces.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has approved a handful of reforms aimed at widening women’s rights, including allowing them to drive and to travel abroad without consent from a male ‘guardian’.
Saudi Arabia has recently allowed women to rent hotel rooms without a male guardian’s presence, and foreign men and women to share a room without proof of marriage. The Kingdom is the world’s largest crude exporter, but is pushing to attract tourists as part of a plan to diversify its economy away from oil.
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