Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources Showcases National Strategy to Empower Women in Industry at Global UNIDO Forum
Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment to building an inclusive, future-ready industrial economy during a high-level roundtable held on Day Three of the 21st UNIDO General Conference (GC21) in Riyadh. The session, titled “Empowering Women, Transforming Industry: Leadership for a Sustainable Future,” brought together global leaders to explore how women’s participation and leadership accelerate sustainable industrialization.
At the center of the discussion was H.E. Dr. Abdullah Ali Al-Ahmari, Assistant Minister for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, who restated Saudi Arabia’s determination to expand women’s roles across industrial sectors. Dr. Al-Ahmari,, highlighted ongoing national efforts to build a more inclusive industrial landscape.
H.E. Dr. Abdullah Ali Al-Ahmari emphasized: “We have over 100,000 women working in the Saudi industrial sector today, across more than 12,000 factories operating under the Ministry. Our focus now is on revamping and expanding factory capacities and industrial infrastructure so they can employ more women. We are already engaging stakeholders to upscale and rescale these facilities, while collaborating with key partners dedicated to supporting women’s development.”
Dr. Al-Ahmari noted that empowering women is not an isolated initiative but a central pillar in the Kingdom’s long-term strategy to elevate industrial competitiveness, drive innovation, and build a sustainable, diversified economy aligned with Vision 2030. He stressed that integrating women into high-impact industrial roles supports national resilience and unlocks new industrial capabilities driven by technology, digitalization, and clean manufacturing.
The session marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and examined how gender equality remains foundational to inclusive and sustainable industrial transformation. Speakers called for global cooperation to reduce structural barriers, expand women’s access to finance, bridge the STEM gender gap, and design gender-responsive industrial policies that prepare women and youth for the green and digital transitions.
The roundtable also featured contributions from international leaders who emphasized the shared global responsibility to accelerate women’s leadership in industry: • Ms. Gianna Franjul, Vice Minister of Industry, Dominican Republic, discussed policy models that have increased women’s participation in manufacturing and trade. • Ms. Vanusia Nogueira, President of the International Coffee Organization, highlighted how empowering women strengthens agricultural value chains and global commodities markets. • Mr. Luca Fratini, Coordinator for Women, Youth, Peace and Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, emphasized the need for gender-responsive policies across global industrial frameworks. • Ms. Jackie Ying, Chief Innovation and Research Officer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, showcased how women are driving scientific innovation in advanced research ecosystems. • Ms. Silvana Peñaherrera, Subsecretary at Ecuador’s Ministry of Production and Trade, underlined the importance of gender-inclusive industrial policies for emerging economies.
Participants agreed that empowering women and youth is one of the strongest predictors of sustainable industrial growth. The session produced a unified message: countries that invest in women’s leadership, skills, and entrepreneurship build more resilient economies and accelerate national transformation agendas.
As the UNIDO conference continues, Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on women’s empowerment positions the Kingdom as a regional leader championing inclusive industrial development, one that recognizes that women and youth are not peripheral contributors but central architects of the future industrial economy.