Saudi Media Forum: Women Leaders Shaping the Cultural Future
The Saudi Media Forum 2026 witnessed extensive intellectual and discussion activity, as the session “Women Leaders Shaping the Future: The Role of Women in Shaping Cultural Transformations” highlighted the qualitative shift that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing in the file of women’s empowerment, and their pivotal role in leading cultural and institutional change.
This session comes at an important time, reflecting the maturity of the Kingdom’s experience in empowering women within the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 , which has not only granted basic rights, but has moved Saudi women from the stage of empowerment to the stage of leadership and decision-making, making them an essential partner in comprehensive national development.
From empowerment to institutional integration
During the session, the Secretary-General of the Family Affairs Council, Maimouna Al-Khalil, emphasized a fundamental shift in the concept of empowerment in the Kingdom. She explained that the current phase has moved beyond simply "providing opportunities" to "reaping the rewards" through tangible successes and complementary roles. She pointed out that women are no longer just a statistic in the labor market, but have become active agents who make a difference in institutional performance. She stressed that the family remains the primary nurturing environment and the solid foundation for empowering individuals, and that preparing future leaders begins in early childhood through selecting educational content that builds leadership qualities.
Challenges of the work environment and women's investment
For her part, Amira Al-Taweel, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Women Leaders Network, addressed the economic and professional realities, noting that despite tremendous progress, women still face challenges as wives and mothers in the workplace. She drew attention to the gap in female representation on some boards of directors, an issue the "Leaders" Network is working to address.
Al-Taweel revealed figures that reflect the strength of women’s economic presence, as the network includes about 200 members who manage investments exceeding 30 billion riyals , stressing that the ultimate goal is to reach a stage where women’s presence in decision-making centers becomes normal and commonplace, not requiring a “quota” or empowering descriptions, which reflects the maturity of the institutional experience in the Kingdom.
Media and education: pillars of cultural change
In a related context, Zainab Abu Al-Samh, CEO of the MBC Academy, emphasized that true empowerment can only be achieved through effective partnership with men. She explained that institutional initiatives, such as women's empowerment committees, are necessary steps to raise awareness, but their success depends on having decision-makers with the vision and ability to overcome obstacles.
Expected impact and future of transformations
Raising such issues at the Saudi Media Forum is a clear indication of the role media plays as a soft power in shaping public awareness. Discussions are no longer about women's "rights," but rather about their "leadership responsibilities" and their impact on the macroeconomy and cultural shifts. The outcomes of these sessions are expected to accelerate the integration of qualified women into senior leadership positions, not only locally, but also as a regional model to be emulated.
The session concluded with recommendations that focused on the centrality of investing in human capital and enhancing integration between the influential triangle (family, media, and educational institutions) to ensure the sustainability of development and to establish leadership models capable of keeping pace with rapid global changes.
