Major shake-up planned for Saudi religious agency

Pilgrims

Revamp aims to boost empowerment of women, youth

A Saudi state institution in charge of Islam’s two holiest sites plans a “historic” administrative shake-up aimed to further empower women and young people, according to local media.

The overhaul of the General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is designed to give high-level posts to young people and motivate innovation in providing services to worshippers at both sides, they said, quoting a senior official.

“Applying criteria of governance, quality and transparency in the system of administrative and field work will be prioritised in the historic structuring that will be the biggest in the history of the Presidency and will be announced soon,” the Presidency’s Chief Abdul Rahman Al Saudais said.

“We aim through this restructuring to consolidate culture of innovation and creativity, and create effective indicators for boosting decision-making,” he added in media remarks.

According to him, empowerment of women and youth are a pivotal aim of the planned revamp.

“The Presidency is used to taking care of them and dispatching them abroad to pursue higher studies,” Al Sudais added.

The Presidency has already set up a women’s development affiliate as part of boosting female Saudis’ engagement in serving pilgrims and worshippers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque in Medina.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made big strides in empowering women as part of massive changes in the kingdom.