Female security personnel took part in operations to assist and protect pilgrims during Umrah at the Holy Kaaba, this Ramadan.
A video clip, published on the official account of the Saudi General Security via Twitter, shows female security personnel deployed at the Holy Grand Mosque in Mecca assisting pilgrims and securing the location alongside other personnel from the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
Female officers have been securing the holy sites in the Kingdom since 2021. Saudi Arabia’s General Security Department said that the presence of female security aims to comfort and secure pilgrims.
The moves come as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030.
The history of female police and security officers in Saudi Arabia dates back to the early 2000s when the government started introducing reforms aimed at modernizing the country’s law enforcement agencies.
In 2008, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior established a dedicated training program for female police officers, which focused on physical fitness, weapons training, and crime investigation.
The program was aimed at preparing female officers to work alongside their male counterparts in various law enforcement roles, including traffic police, criminal investigation, and airport security.
In 2019, the Ministry of Interior announced that it had begun recruiting women for security and military roles, including positions in the Special Security Forces and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
The move was part of the government’s efforts to increase the participation of women in the workforce and promote gender equality.
Today, female police and security officers are an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s law enforcement agencies, and their numbers continue to grow.
While their roles and responsibilities may differ from those of their male counterparts, they are equally valued and respected for their contributions to maintaining law and order in the country.