Gender Reforms in Saudi Vision 2030: Freedom Vs. Equality

Abstract

This essay explores the motivations behind Saudi Arabia's gender reforms within the framework of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan. While this ambitious agenda seeks to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce its dependence on oil, it has also garnered attention for its proposed gender reforms. This work incorporates notions of freedom and equality, and aims to research how these concepts are prioritized and balanced within the Saudi Vision 2030 plan. By reviewing the previously imposed and planned gender reforms, a basic understanding of the Saudi government’s supposed motivations behind these reforms is developed. Finally, through a discussion of the remaining patriarchal structure, the state’s response to female protestors and through visions of Saudi women themselves, this essay suggests an imbalance between (gender) equality and freedom in Saudi Arabia.