Women in the Military of Saudi Arabia

Around the world, professions in security and defense are male-dominated. Women in uniform are clearly in the minority, even in countries with liberal societies like Germany. This makes the rapid reforms initiated in Saudi Arabia, a conservative monarchy, all the more interesting. While women were first allowed into the security sector in 2017, they have been permitted to apply for military jobs since 2021. What does the Saudi leadership want to accomplish through these steps? This policy report analyses the integration of women into the military against the backdrop of the tension between the transformative goals of Vision 2030 and the continued influence of religious conservatism in Saudi society.