GCC countries see promising changes through unprecedented reforms

Today, Gulf countries are a completely different world than they were a few decades back. Through a major socio-economic transformation, governments in the region have substantially diversified the economy and improved the standard of living of people living within their borders.

One area that continues to see immense progress is women’s economic inclusion. In May, Rayyanah Barnawi became the first Saudi female to blast off on a mission to space. Although promising, many didn’t find the news surprising.

The region shelters an energetic youth and scores of ambitious women, continuing to introduce milestone changes to several key areas like health, tourism and women empowerment. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been at the forefront of lifting legal barriers to women’s participation.

In recent years, the two countries have introduced a series of groundbreaking legal changes to eliminate barriers to more women getting jobs and joining economic activities. Through a historic set of reforms, Saudi Arabia has increased Women’s Labour Force Participation to 37%.

COVID-19 Brought A ‘Twin-Shock’. But The Region Worked Hard To Recover

The WLFP rates in the UAE remain one of the highest in the Middle East and North Africa region – at 55%. The country has opened up innumerable new social, economic and educational opportunities for women. It’s swiftly moving towards a gender neutral ecosystem.

Bahrain has also been witnessing promising impacts of its reforms as women there now find it easier to be a part of the country’s economic activities. Kuwait has passed a law combating domestic violence as well as prohibited gender-based discrimination in the workplace.

GCC countries have also proved to the world that they are a leading region in exploiting technology and handling emergencies. They made tremendous efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, with several apps launched at the time still in operation for other health purposes.

Also Read: Have Gulf states shed their ‘rentier’ status reliant on oil?

Although COVID-19 lockdowns represented a ‘twin-shock’ for the region as a major drop in oil prices affected fiscal revenues, the Gulf region worked hard to swiftly recover. Lastly, let’s not forget tourism, which has been helping GCC governments with the necessary diversification.