Dominique Mineur, who is currently the Belgian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, will be the first woman female ambassador in Riyadh. Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not officially announce Mineur’s appointment; neither did it say it would send another female ambassador to Tehran.
"[It] is further evidence of the stakes of women's rights in these countries, but above all of our willingness to send the most competent people to positions that are increasingly important on the international scene," said Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.
According to a World Economic Forum study measuring four areas in which women may achieve equality, i.e., political empowerment, economic participation, health and education, Riyadh was ranked 138 out of 144 countries in the 2017 Gender Gap.
READ MORE: Saudi Arabia Hosts Its First-Ever All-Female Concert (VIDEO)
The lives of Saudi women started to change when Mohammad bin Salman announced a row of reforms related to socio-economic and cultural realms. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has already lifted a ban on women driving cars, signing a royal decree, which is expected to come into effect in June 2018 and has allowed them to attend sports events at stadiums. Most recently, Riyadh has hosted its first-ever all-female concert, thus opening up the world of entertainment to women.
