Dr. Leila Bint Hamad Al-Kassem has been appointed the new Undersecretary for Planning and Digital Transformation at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance. Her landmark appointment makes her the first woman in the Kingdom to fill the position and, in line with Vision 2030, part of the nation's ongoing bid to appoint more women into leadership roles.
The decision was made by the Kingdom's Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance, Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh, who had previously appointed Dr. Al-Kassem at the Department of Governance. This also made her the first woman to be appointed to the role. In fact, Al-Sheikh is a strong believer in female empowerment, and seeing women appointed to leadership roles in accordance with the goals set by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 program.
"Under Saudi leadership, women were given all their rights and their appropriate place within society – and this is reflected in the empowerment of women in the workplace and the government sector," Dr. Al-Kassem said in a televised interview.
In fact, Dr. Al-Kassem's appointment comes as Saudi Arabia has been pushing for more women in the workforce and leadership roles and, indeed, this includes Islamic affairs. In 2021, for instance, over 600 women became part of the Kingdom's General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, with Dr. Al Anoud Bint Khalid Al Aboud in charge of the Women’s Development Affairs Agency. This included nearly 100 women at the Assistance Agency for Languages And Women’s Translation, 210 at the Assistant Agency for Women’s Services and Field Affairs, and 30 at the Assistant Agency for Women’s Administrative Affairs and the Assistant Agency for Strategic Planning, Initiatives and Realization of the Women’s Vision.
