National Observatory for Women at Princess Nourah University Achieves Qualitative Milestones in Supporting Women’s Participation in Development
مشاركة
21 Jul 2025
The National Observatory for Women at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University achieved several qualitative milestones during the previous academic year, reinforcing its role as a national center of expertise in monitoring and measuring Saudi women’s participation in development at both local and international levels. The Observatory supports decision-makers and relevant stakeholders by providing accurate indicators, updated data, and qualitative studies aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Observatory completed several research and field projects, including “Pioneering Women in Charitable Work in Saudi Arabia,” documenting women’s contributions to early charitable initiatives in the Kingdom, in collaboration with Al-Nahda Society. It also implemented the “Qassim Region Field Survey for Producing Social Empowerment Indicators for Women,” in partnership with the Regional Urban Observatory. Ongoing projects include “A Journey of Leadership and Giving in Empowering Saudi Women,” which documents women’s empowerment experiences in the Eastern Province, implemented for Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Foundation for Humanitarian Development. The Observatory also actively participated in several international forums addressing women, environment, health, education, and family issues, including the Fourth Gulf Forum on Family Policies in Qatar, the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), participation in the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, and discussions of the fifth report with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Geneva. Locally, the Observatory organized the conference “Saudi Women in Development: Ambitious Steps Toward a Promising Future,” in addition to participating in scientific and community forums and hosting visits from diplomatic delegations and national institutions. The Observatory issued the Women’s Participation in Development Index 2023, a national tool measuring women’s participation across five main domains: education, health, economy, regulatory frameworks, and social participation. The index integrates global benchmarks with local expertise and national statistics to assess regional development priorities across the Kingdom. These achievements align with the Observatory’s role in supporting Princess Nourah University’s 2025 Strategic Plan, particularly under the “Empowered Woman” pillar, by enhancing women’s development participation indicators, documenting their contributions, and reducing gender gaps in scientific fields and the labor market.