Saudi Arabia's New Crown Prince :- God's own man for the Women of the Nation?

The Youth's Lens
Jun 16, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Jun 17, 2018

Saudi Arabia’s new crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, reforms women laws, accelerating change for the country? Explore the possibilities of this royal nation in the future with our political and psychological activist Rajal Monga.

For most of the late 20th and early 21st century, Saudi Arabia has been well-known for its patriarchal laws that limit women’s freedom and restrict them from a variety of behaviours and events; from displaying decisiveness without the permission of a male and wearing clothes or make-up that “show off their beauty”, to participating in competitive sports. In fact, The World Economic Forum's 2016 Global Gender Gap Report placed Saudi Arabia 141st out of 144 countries for gender parity, down from 134th out of 145 in 2015.

Be that as it may, Saudi Arabia’s new crown prince: Mohammad bin Salman has made it one of his foremost priorities to expand women’s rights in society as he drives his country towards progressive social reforms and a modernised society.

So, who is this prince?

Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is colloquially known as MbS, and even referred to as “Mr. Everything” by the citizens of Saudi Arabia, is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, while also serving as First Deputy Prime Minister, President of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, and Minister of Defence. He was appointed crown prince in June 2017, making him the heir apparent to the throne.

What did he do?

Mohammad bin Salman has taken strides towards the prosperity of Saudi Arabia in the years to come. Through the ‘Vision 2030’ plan he plans to transform Saudi into an ambitious nation with a vibrant community and a thriving economy. Moreover, he aims to reconstruct the Saudi trade and investment model, making Saudi Arabia a powerhouse and a global hub connecting three continents: Asia, Europe and Africa.

Apart from this, he is also recognised for his efforts towards loosening the strict moral and societal rules of the kingdom. He has been working towards increasing women’s rights, and one of his renowned decisions has been to give women the right to drive. Additionally, he has opened movie theatres, conducted the first fashion week - for women only, expanded their role in the workforce, permitted public concerts, created a choice for wearing an abaya, allowed for a right to jog and participate in other sporting events, among other advances. In fact, in one of his interviews on the CBS news programme, he said that women are “absolutely” equal to men. "We are all human beings and there is no difference," he remarked.

While Saudi women are still bounded by guardianship laws that provide male relatives with control over various aspects of their lives, observation of gradual progress towards a place of equal rights and opportunities for all citizens regardless of their gender comes with great pleasure.

People must be really happy, right?

His most eminent step towards increasing women’s rights in the region was his decision to lift the ban on female drivers. Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world which restricted women from driving. Many human-rights organisations have applauded this step, including the UN, who claimed it to be an “important step in the right direction” for the country.

The women of Saudi, while most are exhilarated by the opportunity to drive and the right to mobility in the country, have shared rather conservative ideas. They have their concerns regarding the decision, discussing how it encourages women to “try to become a man”, and “break the barrier that makes them hold onto their femininity, religion, and traditions”.

While the announcement has received mixed reactions, personally, I’m overjoyed by Saudi’s attempts to revolutionise the lives of women in their country. These verdicts have permitted the females to become more liberated; they will no longer be treated as “commodities”, but human beings, with the right to live and express themselves and to lead a life of purpose. Mohammad bin Salman has finally allowed the women of Saudi Arabia to breathe freely, and bask in the warm sunshine of freedom.

So, that's all he will do?

"I just want to remind the world that American women had to wait long to get their right to vote. So we need time." - Mohammad Bin Salman, The Prince of Saudi Arabia

No, and I can assure you that. The new prince, a cunning politician that he may be, does dream a better Saudi state under his leadership. He dreams of a nation which is economically and culturally developed, and he has then and again insisted that women will have to be a major part of this reform. Under his leadership, women were able to vote for the first time and 20 women won in these elections. Women can now work in any sector. In business and commerce, as a lawyer, in the political field and in all sectors. Women can carry out any jobs they want. What is left is that, the citizens support women for the future and I don't believe there are obstacles that they can’t overcome. Therefore, you can expect this new prince to make some major headlines for these emirate states for the upcoming future.

Bibliography and References

Written By Rajal Monga and Chandan Samal, Edited By Abhinav Jain