Key Points:
- Saudi Arabia showcases women’s growing role in national security at Riyadh defence expo
- Female officers now serve in field, administrative, and specialised functions
- Participation reflects broader social reforms reshaping the Kingdom’s workforce
- The Saudi model stands out, given the rapid shift from historically restricted roles
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has placed the spotlight on the expanding role of women in its security architecture at the World Defence Show in Riyadh, presenting their contributions as part of the Kingdom’s wider modernisation drive.
Saudi women have increasingly become integral to the Ministry of Interior’s operations, taking on responsibilities that range from frontline support to data-driven security management, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The ministry showcased female personnel in maintaining public order, ensuring safety, protecting lives and property, and supporting significant national events.
Their duties extend beyond conventional administrative work. Female officers are involved in organising exhibitions, assisting security operations, and delivering community and family medical services.
Authorities say their presence has strengthened the handling of large gatherings, particularly during the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, which draw millions of visitors from around the world.
Women deployed for pilgrim services assist with field organisation, monitoring, translation, traffic regulation, and emergency safety measures. Officials consider these roles critical to managing one of the largest recurring human movements globally.
Beyond crowd management, Saudi women contribute to crime prevention, environmental protection initiatives, document restoration, and the development of electronic services.
They also support data analysis and operational improvements aligned with the Kingdom’s push toward digital transformation. In unified security operations centres, commonly reached through the 911 system in regions including Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, female staff handle security reports and coordinate responses.
The prominence of Saudi women in security roles is particularly notable given the country’s recent social evolution. For decades, strict societal norms limited women’s participation in public-sector jobs, especially in policing and defence-related fields.
Reforms introduced under Vision 2030, the national strategy aimed at diversifying the economy and modernising society, opened pathways for women to join the armed forces, border guard, civil defence, and traffic police.
Unlike many Western countries, where the integration of women into security services unfolded gradually over the past century, Saudi Arabia’s shift has been compressed into less than a decade.
Analysts say this rapid transformation reflects both state-driven policy changes and growing educational attainment among Saudi women, who now enter technical and specialised professions in greater numbers.
Authorities also view female officers as essential for culturally sensitive tasks, including assisting female pilgrims, conducting inspections, and interacting with families in conservative settings where gender considerations remain important.
The World Defence Show, attended by military officials, defence companies, and policymakers from around the globe, has provided Riyadh with a platform to signal that the Kingdom’s security sector is evolving alongside its broader economic and social reforms.
