According to Ahlam Bint Abdulrahman Yanqsar, director of the General Department for Cultural Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi women are doing a crucial developmental function in Vision 2030, which has brought them to the frontline of several sectors and increased their presence in different roles in the domestic workforce.

Ahlam was among the first Saudi women to be appointed to positions of leadership in a brief period, thanks to a slew of royal decrees that opened the way for women to play an active role in the country's economic growth.

Yanqsar portrayed Saudi Arabia at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where she gave the Kingdom's speech at the general discussion of the UN Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee's service on the empowerment of women.

She told the Saudi Press Agency that hard work is acknowledged with increased responsibilities. “The Kingdom's contribution to transition was the key engine to drive institutional transitions and develop them in a manner that promotes the participation of women in jobs, and to prepare the framework for them to keep up the pace with the reforms and gain progress under visionary leadership.”

She stressed that since the Kingdom's inception; women have gained recognition and encouragement, and educational opportunities, and grants abroad, and have been treated equally with men. “Women have and will continue being an active party to the growth process, with a significant presence and influence on culture.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a visionary and at the frontline of government departments that trusted in women's talents, leveraging their skills and allowing them to take leadership roles as soon as they demonstrated their ability and functional efficiency,” she added.

Saudi women policymakers participate in global forums, attend bilateral and multi-committee sessions, and tackle political, economic, cultural, developmental, and educational reports, according to Yanqsar, who mentioned splendid instances of Saudi women in the diplomatic sector.

Dr. Thoraya Obaid, former executive director of the United Nations Population Fund and assistant secretary-general of the United Nations, is one of them. Princess Haifa Bint Abdulaziz Al-Muqrin, Saudi Arabia's permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is a case in point (UNESCO).

Following Princess Haifa's monumental nomination, Princess Reema Bint Bandar was elected Saudi ambassador to the United States and became the first Saudi woman elected for the rank of ambassador in the Kingdom's history, preceded by the designation of Dr. Amal Al-Mouallemy as the Kingdom's second ambassador to Norway. There are hundreds of examples of women who have held leadership roles in ministries of education and health, chambers of commerce, and international federations before being assigned to the Shoura Council.

“I had the distinction of being named director-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the belief that Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan placed in me is filled with immense responsibility,” she said.

Yanqsar worked previously for the Saudi embassy in the United Kingdom for ten years, serving in various offices and enhancing the reputation of women as well as transmitting Saudi culture abroad. She highlighted that since the launch of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, women's empowerment has been more successful in achieving holistic advancement, economic inclusion, and awareness and culture growth.

Yanqsar stated that her family, especially her father, who served at the foreign ministry, played an important role in her incredible career. She had a strong desire to learn about other cultures and people since she was a kid, and this was mirrored in her willingness to take responsibility and make sound choices in her life.

She also earned a master's degree from the University of London. She was first appointed to serve as the deputy head of the economic and cultural department at the Embassy in the United Kingdom, and then took over responsibility for the economic and cultural file of the North American administration at the ministry's Riyadh headquarters.