Saudi Education Ministry Launches “Maryam” Program to Support Women’s Empowerment in Healthcare
Saudi Education Ministry Launches “Maryam” Program to Support Women’s Empowerment in Healthcare
The Saudi Ministry of Education today announced the launch of the “Maryam” initiative, a qualitative program aimed at enhancing Saudi women’s participation in healthcare and scientific research fields, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals to empower women and increase their contribution to the labor market.
According to the ministry’s official statement, the program focuses on three main pillars: providing distinguished scholarships in rare healthcare specializations, developing advanced training programs in partnership with leading medical institutions, and establishing research centers that support local knowledge production in the healthcare sector. The statement read: “The Maryam program represents a qualitative leap in investing Saudi women’s potential in the healthcare sector, and is a response to the growing demand for qualified national cadres in this vital sector.”
Official statistics from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties indicate a notable growth in the numbers of Saudi female healthcare practitioners, with Saudi women comprising 34% of the healthcare sector by the end of fiscal year 2022, with expectations of reaching 40% by 2025. Saudi universities have also recorded a 27% increase in female students’ enrollment in medical and scientific specializations over the past three years.
The launch of “Maryam” crowns a series of efforts that began in 2018 with the establishment of research chairs for female students in universities, which expanded in 2021 with the “My Doctor” project to employ graduates in government hospitals. The program has received direct support from the National Development Fund, which allocated an initial budget of 120 million riyals to cover the first phase of the project.
Dr. Amal Al-Jubeir, Advisor for Women’s Affairs at the Ministry of Education, confirmed that “Maryam will contribute to bridging the gap between educational outputs and the healthcare labor market requirements, and will provide Saudi women with unprecedented opportunities for leadership in advanced medical fields.”
The program will open registration for the first cohort at the beginning of the next academic year 1446 AH, targeting 500 female students from distinguished high school graduates in natural sciences. Specialized academic committees will evaluate applications and select beneficiaries based on precise competitive criteria.
In conclusion, the “Maryam” initiative represents a strategic step toward achieving gender balance in the healthcare sector and enhancing Saudi women’s position as an effective partner in building an integrated national healthcare system, with a focus on building local capabilities and supporting academic and research excellence.
السعودية الاخبارية ، موقع إخباري شامل يهتم بتقديم خدمة صحفية متميزة للقارئ، وهدفنا أن نصل لقرائنا الأعزاء بالخبر الأدق والأسرع والحصري بما يليق بقواعد وقيم الأسرة السعودية، لذلك نقدم لكم مجموعة كبيرة من الأخبار المتنوعة داخل الأقسام التالية، الأخبار العالمية و المحلية، الاقتصاد، تكنولوجيا ، فن، أخبار الرياضة، منوعات و سياحة.