RIYADH: Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, has hailed the “fast track” of gender equality in the Kingdom, particularly in the military sector. The Kingdom opened up applications from women for defense posts in February 2021, with the first batch of female soldiers graduating from a 14-week training program in September last year. In a keynote speech at the World Defense Show in Riyadh on March 7, Princess Reema said, “Gender equality in the Kingdom has been on the fast track. Since the announcement two years ago, we’ve seen our recruits now on the front lines.” “We are a young nation, with two-thirds under 35 and it’s impossible not to allow women to participate in the military. They are vital to the success of the Kingdom,” added the princess. According to Princess Reema, women are highly efficient in resolving conflicts, and she cited examples from her life where women have played crucial roles in ensuring peace within the family and in businesses. She noted that Saudi Arabia has achieved equal pay for men and women working in the military. The princess also lauded the efforts of female essential workers during the time of the pandemic, saying that their work helped lower mortality and infection rates in the country.