WOMEN, INSTITUTIONAL, AND INFORMAL REFORMS UNDER KING SALMAN IN SAUDI ARABIA

Women’s involvement in many aspects of society (government, administration, law, diplomacy) has been facilitated by both formal and informal means of reform associated with the government’s Vision 2030 programme, as well as through legislation that allows women to participate more actively in society. However, while such policies have been successful in providing women with greater access and an increasing number of opportunities to participate as equal citizens, access continues to be limited and is heavily influenced by existing socio-political and economic constraints. This study examines the impact of the above-mentioned changes on women’s ability to engage politically and socially in a country that has long been known for its restrictive political climate and to provide insight into the future development of women in Saudi Arabia based on an assessment of the existing political system in conjunction with analysis of civil society, private sector, and other informal mechanisms for engagement. This paper furthers the scholarship on the gender-related Middle East studies by displaying how state-based reform efforts can promote women's inclusion while retaining authority over politics and provide insight into the limitations and potential of "reform-based" empowerment attempts. The research incorporates a qualitative research approach primarily via the secondary data analysis method. A collection of sources, including official government reports, official policies and statistical information, peer-reviewed academic literature, global indexing metrics, and reliable media outlets, is reviewed to identify women’s institutional and non-institutional (informal) involvement during the reign of King Salman. The paper seeks to analyse the impact of reforms on women's government involvement and determine if/how informal spaces and digital spaces were used to enhance women's participation. Secondly, the research seeks to offer a balanced picture of Prospects, barriers and challenges of women becoming empowered.