HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud has been appointed Vice President for Women’s Affairs of the General Sports Authority in Saudi Arabia ahead of the 2016 Olympics which will kick off on Friday. For decades, Her Royal Highness has been breaking glass ceilings and pushing against boundaries for Saudi women across the Kingdom. The new role will aid Her Royal Highness on her quest to break down barriers for female athletes in the country.
Four years ago in London, two Saudi females—runner Sarah Attar and judoka Wojdan Shaherkani—made history for being the first Saudi athletes to represent their country at the Olympic Games. This year, the number of female participants has doubled, with four female athletes on their way to Rio to participate in the upcoming Games.
A firm advocator for the empowerment of women, the ambitious businesswoman, entrepreneur, and humanitarian continues to build upon her long list of achievements and initiatives. Aside from being placed on Forbes’ list of 200 Most Powerful Arab Women in 2014, she’s also the founder of accessories label, Baraboux. Additionally, Her Royal Highness is the CEO of luxury retail company Alfa International (where she initiated the hiring of female employees) and she’s a member of Uber’s Public Policy Advisory board. Her vision to provide Saudi women with a safe mode of transportation spurred the launch of the online travel service in the Kingdom. The George Washington University graduate also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest pink ribbon formed by women through her 10KSA initiative—a breast cancer campaign that spread awareness and raised funds for the Zahra Breast Cancer Association.
