Human Rights and Saudi Vision 2030: A Critical Analysis of Legal, Social, and Institutional Transformations

This study provides a critical qualitative analysis of the complex and often contradictory relationship between the evolution of human rights in Saudi Arabia and the transformative objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative. Grounded in a theoretical framework that combines Amartya Sen's "Development as Freedom" with the concept of "authoritarian modernization," the paper investigates the central research question: how are human rights addressed within the Vision 2030 framework? Utilizing a methodology based on thematic and critical discourse analysis of official documents, legal texts, and secondary scholarly and institutional sources, this study systematically explores the historical context of human rights in the Kingdom and scrutinizes the recent wave of reforms. It offers an in-depth examination of pivotal strategies aimed at enhancing women’s rights and reforming labor policies, alongside a critical look at the narrowing space for freedom of expression.The discussion extends to analyze recent legal codifications and their broader socio-political implications, highlighting the progress made in empowering certain groups alongside the persistent challenges that hinder comprehensive reform. The findings reveal a pattern of selective, state-controlled liberalization where social and economic rights are advanced instrumentally to serve economic diversification goals, while political and civil liberties are simultaneously curtailed to consolidate state authority. This creates a paradoxical environment of social opening and political repression. The study concludes that despite notable strides, particularly in women's economic empowerment and labor market flexibility, persistent institutional practices, a constrained civic space, and deep-seated cultural barriers remain significant obstacles. Ultimately, the paper calls for continued international engagement and vigorous domestic dialogue to ensure that human rights become a foundational and consistently applied pillar of the Vision 2030 agenda, rather than a selective instrument of economic modernization.