Women’s Empowerment Strategies in NGOs in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia-Exploring the Complexity and Challenges of the Cultural Context

This thesis explores the complex issue of women’s empowerment strategies in NGOs in Saudi Arabia. The rapid social change, which has taken place in the recent years, has transformed both private and professional roles for women in the country; it has created new spaces and increased visibility for women. The empirical study employed a mixed methods approach consisting of interviews and questionnaire survey. The analysis identified five major strategies employed by Saudi NGOs to promote women’s empowerment, which include: guests and events, building alliances, media, religion, and framing women’s issues. The findings identified religion as a decisive influence in many decisions made by NGOs regarding women’s empowerment strategies.
The analysis furthermore identifies contrasting views regarding employing the term “empowerment” these reflecting the rapid social change and ideologies present in the country. Ultimately, the thesis portrays the challenges NGOs face promoting women’s empowerment which is equally reflected in the literature review and the empirical findings of the study.