Women's employment in Saudi Arabia: A major challenge (page 1 of 4)

However, with less than 15% of its national workforce made up of women, the Kingdom has still an enormous source of untapped potential for its labour force, which currently relies heavily on expatriates. Legislative, social, educational and occupational constraints prevent women from fully participating in the Saudi labour market. Overcoming these constraints will be essential if the kingdom is to create a dynamic market economy. Sweeping reforms will have to be introduced to the national educational system as a major step in preparing Saudi women for competitive jobs. Labour market reforms and labour law reforms should be implemented; with the creation of a supportive environment encouraging the design of programmes that emphasise the positive role of Saudi women in the labour market and introduce women to senior labour market positions, according to a new report by Booz & Company.

Since 1992, women's participation rate in the Saudi national labour force has nearly tripled, from 5.4% to 14.4%. However, this represents one of the lowest levels of national female participation in the labour force in the region: the UAE's national female participation rate is 59%; Kuwait's is 42.49%, Qatar's is 36.4%, Bahrain's is 34.3% and Malaysia's is 46.1%. In addition, the 26.9% unemployment rate for Saudi females in the labour force in 2008 was nearly four times higher than that for Saudi males.

Although over 90% of Saudi women actively participating in the workforce hold a secondary qualification or a university degree, this does not guarantee employment: 78.3% of unemployed women are university graduates, and more than 1,000 have a doctorate degree. By contrast, 76% of unemployed men have only a secondary education or less. "In 2007, 93% of all female university graduates specialised in education and humanities, while a shortage of jobs in those fields has resulted in Saudis seeking work abroad. More than 300 Saudi female graduates have already accepted teaching jobs in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain," said Dr. Mona AlMunajjed, senior advisor with Booz & Company's Ideation Centre in Riyadh.

Uneducated women are even more challenged, especially in rural areas. In 2007, UNESCO estimated that 20.6% of Saudi women over the age of 15 were illiterate. With only 3% of female illiterates finding an active role in the labour market, over one million Saudi women find themselves unable to enter the labour market due to lack of education or appropriate skills.

Unemployment is highest in the region of Hael where it reached 35%, followed by the Eastern Region at 32%, Makkah al Mukarramah at 29%, Al Madinah al Munawwarah at 28%, the region of Asir at 23% and the lowest, Al Qassim, at 17%. Although Al Qassim is a conservative region, it has a number of educated women who are working as teachers in schools and at the university, mainly in the public sector.

Saudi laws based on the Shari'a guarantee a woman's right to work, but stipulate that she should work in an appropriate environment - i.e., not mixing with men or being exposed to harassment. "Occupation gender segregation in professional jobs is therefore prevalent. Women are concentrated in professions that are seen as feminine and remain in less distinguished positions than men," explained AlMunajjed.

The public sector is the largest employer of Saudi women, and women currently make up around 30% of government employees. Around 95% of working Saudi women are in the public sector: 85% in education - in both teaching and administrative positions, 6% in public health, and 4% in administration.

Only 5% of working Saudi women are employed by the private sector, and the majority work in a narrow range of jobs such as private business and banking.