Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has appointed Ahlam Bint Abdulrahman Yanksar as the first female director-general of Foreign Ministry’s department of cultural affairs.
According to the ministry, Ahlam holds a master’s degree in international business administration from the University of London. Earlier she had worked as a member of the team of the office of the ministry’s undersecretary for political and economic affairs. She had also served as deputy head of the economic and cultural section at the Saudi embassy in London. At the Foreign Ministry’s North America department she was in charge of the economic and cultural file.
Princess Reema Bint Bandar was appointed as the first female Saudi ambassador to the US in February 2019.
Since Mohammed bin Salman’s promotion to crown prince in June 2017, he has taken many drastic steps to reform and modernize Saudi Arabia. They include empowerment of Saudi women.
After Saudi Arabia lifted its longstanding ban on women driving, they are taking to the streets. They can now access education and healthcare, without permission from a male guardian. Easing long-time controls on them, Saudi authorities have also allowed women to travel without a male guard’s approval and to apply for a passport.