Official statistics by the Saudi government revealed a rise in women's labor force participation rate during Q4 2020 despite the COVID-19 crisis, which cast a shadow over the global economy.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced many governments to take strict preventive measures including lockdowns, raising the unemployment rate, especially among women.
According to the statistics issued by the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), the total number of women working in the labor market during Q4 2020 amounted to 823,000, compared to 813,000 in Q3 of the same year.
These figures indicate the employment of about 111 women per day, which represents a 1.2 percent increase.
According to recent data, the majority of women are employed in the capital, Riyadh, with 391,000 women registered for social insurance, followed by Jeddah (144,000 women), and the Eastern Region (101,000).
Earlier, the Saudi government announced launching the Unified National Employment Platform to support the Saudi labor market.
The platform includes a database of job seekers of both genders in public and private sectors to improve and raise the efficiency of procedures for receiving and handling all employment requirements for all relevant parties.
Also, the reforms adopted by the Saudi government had led to an increase in the rate of employment among Saudi women, including measures that prevent gender discrimination in the workplace, setting equal retirement age, allowing women to work in many new sectors, and encouraging them to occupy leadership positions.
The National Transformation Program, led by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, further worked on empowering women and increasing their participation in the labor market.
In this context, Lateefa al-Waalan, a member of the board of directors of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi women have made great strides in the labor market.
She stressed that the Kingdom has laid its “Vision 2030” as the first solid foundation for several reforms that paved the way for greater women's participation in the country’s economic development.
Women receive great support in Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, she noted.
Waalan further highlighted the high participation of women in many fields and their ability to attain leadership positions and gain confidence to represent the Kingdom abroad.
