Saudi Arabia issues 700 new licences for female lawyers

The permits raise the number of women licensed to practice law in the kingdom to 2,100

Delegates at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is seeking to create more opportunities for female citizens pursuing a career in law. Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia has issued 700 new licences for female lawyers as it pushes to create more opportunities for women in the kingdom pursuing a career in law.

The move by the Ministry of Justice raised the number of licensed female lawyers in Saudi Arabia to 2,100.

“It helps increase women's participation in law and greatly inspires the younger generation as it is an indication that the country wants more women lawyers,” Jeddah-based lawyer Safa Omran told The National.

Users can sign up for online training on the ministry's portal, Najiz, and receive official support.

The ministry has provided a set of services for lawyers and trainees on the portal, doing away with the need to visit the ministry's headquarters or the offices of the Law Firm's General Administration.

The services are available to both male and female lawyers under the ministry's framework to support lawyers across the kingdom, helping them to save time and effort.

Users of the Najiz portal can apply for or request the renewal of a lawyer's licence. Those new to the profession will need to register as a trainee lawyer first and obtain an electronic “identification certificate for the trainee lawyer”.

Layan Al Hamdan, a Saudi engineering student, said there were no female lawyers “up until a decade ago, and today we have over 2,000”.

“This is all thanks to the new changes in the kingdom and our leadership,” she said. “Women make up half the society and our economy can hugely benefit by giving them a more active role in society.”