Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The Ministry of Labor and Social Development set a goal to increase the rate of female employment in Saudi Arabia from 18% to 24% by 2020, the ministry's undersecretary Abdulmonem Al-Shehri told Saudi Gazette on the sidelines of the 2-day Jeddah Human Resources Forum that ended on Wednesday. By 2030, the goal is to have a 30% rate of women's participation in the workforce, he added. Al-Shehri said the ministry identified and set deadlines for its recently launched initiatives as well as following up with the existent ones, such as setting up daycare facilities, offering transportation solutions, promoting remote working from home, and Saudization of jobs. Thirteen new initiatives involve both the public and private sector, including empowering women to promote them in leadership and executive positions, Al-Shehri said in a panel discussion. Despite the high demand of youth, especially females, wanting to enter the job market, barriers still remain. Transportation, daycare facilities, and allowing for space in offices are challenges faced by women. For youth, several challenges are faced including landing a job, skills training, and high expectations among graduates. In the short-term, the ministry's immediate solutions include gaining property for daycare facilities, establishing factories, allocating an administration for women's enterprises, and collaborating with government bodies and employment agencies, among others. "The telecom sector is not for women only but for women to work in public spaces," Al-Shehri said. "The part-time jobs have been successful so far such as in supermarkets and airlines," he added. The number of women working last year reached over 53,700 increasing from over 39,000 four years ago. The quota-system is vulnerable and open to abuse, according to lead economist at the World Bank Cem Mete who suggested instead an incentives market based system. In the long run, the government and private sector need to decrease the huge reliance of reference to land jobs, he said. In addition, there tends to be a significant preference for government jobs that is causing an imbalance. "Effects will be significant in the short-term if the transportation barrier for women is removed, however," he added. High wage expectations of young Saudis along with the presence of cheaper foreign workers do not match the realities of the private sector, he further said. Asked about the challenges of the private sector in particular, Mete said skills training could be more active. "The private sector can offer more internships as well as skills training institutions," he said. "They will have feedback mechanisms of the market." Absence of women or spaces for women in certain organizations is also a limitation. The forum, under the aegis of the Minister of Labor Dr. Mufrij Al-Haqbani, hosted human resources experts, ministry officials, academics and economists. The speakers in the panel regarding empowering youth and women did not have a woman speaker. About 95 percent of employees in Saudi Arabia say are "open to new job opportunities" while 47% are actively seeking for alternative jobs, according to a survey by LinkedIn whose representatives participated. It is unclear, however, whether this is a positive or negative indication, attendees commented. Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Dr. Nadia Baeshen, human resources expert and dean of the Jeddah International College, told Saudi Gazette: "Officials have shown their interest in noting down people's recommendations and concerns. I wished I had seen HR students attending this forum or at least gotten easier access because they would have gotten a hands-on and direct interaction with lawmakers, consultants, practitioners and owners of businesses. The exchange of ideas as well as networking in such forums allows for growth and improvement." On obstacles for female employment, she said, "Being a leader and dealing with women employees, I find resistance from them to attend a meeting with men." "It's a misunderstood concept that is not Islamic but cultural," she said adding that awareness is needed to clear misconceptions in order to develop the labor market.
