For The First Time Ever, A Woman Anchored Nightly News in Saudi Arabia

Weam Al Dakheel just became the first woman to deliver the nightly news on television in Saudi Arabia. Al Dakheel appeared alongside a male co-host on the state-run channel Thursday night.

"Jumanah AlShami was the first woman to present morning newscasts in 2016. Today history repeats itself as Weam Al Dakheel becomes the presenter of the main nightly newscast, setting a precedent in a historic first for Saudi TV 1," the channel posted on its Twitter account.

Her appearance drew plaudits on social media, where viewers celebrated the milestone.

Al Dakheel began working for the channel earlier this year. She has previously worked for CNBC Arabia and as an anchor on Al-Arab, a Bahrain-based news channel.

Her appearance is part of a broader effort to fold women into the workforce. Last year, the crown prince has unveiled his ambitious "Vision 2030," designed to modernize Saudi Arabia and move away from its overwhelming reliance on oil exports. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hopes to reorient the economy and reinvigorate the workforce.

Among the transformations is the aggressive relaunch of Al Saudiya, the country's state-run station, run by the Ministry of Culture and Information. The channel has been asked to focus on Salman's modernization efforts.

Vision 2030 also imagines a more inclusive Saudi Arabia, where women are more free to work and move around. This summer, women were allowed to drive for the first time. They are also now welcome at soccer games and more employment opportunities are available to them. Salman has said he hopes women will make up a third of the workforce by 2030. Right now, women hold about 22 percent of the country's jobs.

Earlier this month, the country's airline said it will begin recruiting women stewardesses.

But there are limits to how far these efforts stretch. Though women can work more, companies are required to segregate the sexes. Even as women began driving, more than a dozen women's rights activists in country were detained and arrested. Some are still behind bars. 

And one of the most onerous requirements women face - the rule that a male guardian must give them permission to work, marry, travel and even get medical treatment- is still on the books.
In a June poll of 550 women's rights experts, Saudi Arabia was voted to have the second most discriminatory policies around women and economics.