First female Hajj and Umrah guards seen at Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia

Dubai: Pictures of Saudi Arabia’s first female Hajj and Umrah security guards on duty have gone viral on social media platforms as soon as they were released by the Saudi Ministry of Interior.

On its Twitter page, the ministry shared two pictures of the Kingdom’s first female Hajj and Umrah security guards while on duty at the Grand Mosque, regulating the presence of worshipers and pilgrims, while ensuring that all precautionary measures are applied.

The female guards are seen wearing the official uniform while carrying out their duties at the Holy Mosque with a caption that reads: “From the field. The security guard of Hajj and Umrah”.

Earlier last February, the Saudi Ministry of Defence announced that men and women in the Kingdom can now apply for positions in the military through their unified admission portal. Women can be recruited as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants.

The move follows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 initiative, introducing reforms that allow Saudi women to advance in various fields.

In December 2020, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques appointed around 1,500 females in its different departments to serve female visitors to the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

A total of 600 women have been recruited in the Technical and Service Affairs Agency. The rest of the female staff will be deployed in other departments of the presidency such as electric vehicles, Zamzam watering unit, guidance and intellectual affairs, administrative affairs, public relations, media and communication and the General Department of Internal Auditing.