Humayyed, Deputy Minister of Labor, has said that the rate of women's unemployment is 28.4 percent compared to 6.9 percent for males, a figure he described as “scandalous” in country “employing millions of workers from abroad”. Speaking at an open dialogue session at Princess Noura University, Al-Humayyed said that when unemployment in America reached 25 percent “it became known as the ‘Great Depression'”. When asked how high unemployment could correlate with a country witnessing growth across the board, Al-Humayyed noted that 78 percent of unemployed women were university graduates, compared to 17 percent of males. “The most significant obstacle to women working is the social factor,” Al-Humayyed said. “The social controversy on what's acceptable work for women and what's not has yet to produce a clear and defined vision on the subject, which has caused concern for women who wish to work and their families and the decision-makers. Another hurdle is the lack of compatibility between positions available and the areas in which some job-seeking women are qualified.” On the Ministry of Labor's failure to enforce its move to restrict to women the position of shop assistants at female lingerie stores, Al-Humayyed said that the decision had been met with strong resistance from “groups which misunderstood it”. “Myself personally and the ministry have been targeted by them, and businessmen objected to the move because it incurs extra costs for them,” he said. “If the ministry tried to impose the measure it would cause a lot of social problems, and salespersons working in that area would be vulnerable to threats.” The deputy minister said that the ministry did not have “a magic wand to change society”. “Quite simply, the measure did not meet the acceptance of the public, but the ministry will not annul it, but is instead working in its way to see it through,” he said. Al-Humayyed added that what has “created the lack of a work ethic in Saudis is the unfair competition between Saudis and foreigners”. Abdul Rahman Al-Abd Al-Qadir, Deputy Minister of Civil Service, meanwhile, rebuffed criticisms from the media that his ministry was not providing enough job opportunities for female university graduates, saying that the ministry was only responsible for making known posts available in certain pay scale categories in health and education. “Approximately 34 percent of government jobs under the Civil Service are taken by women, notably in education, health, social services,” Al-Abd Al-Qadir said. “In general education they make up 52 percent and in higher education 44 percent, while in health they account for 31 percent.” Al-Abd Al-Qadir added that in some areas the demand for work is ten times greater than that available. “In other areas, of medicine and health for example, the Ministry for Civil Service still employs 80 percent non-Saudi female staff.” When asked whether openings might be created in engineering and other similar fields, the deputy minister said that it was “not currently possible”. “The relevant authority does not have a designated head office for women as is found in public education and professional training,” Al-Abd Al-Qadir said. Earlier this month, Saudi Gazette reported sources at the Ministry of Labor as saying that the employment rate of women in the Kingdom had fallen to 11 percent. “The number of job applications from women at labor offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam has also gone down in recent years,” the sources said. According to the sources, the 2006 figure of 10,443 female job applicants, 599 of whom were found employment, fell to 4,285 in 2007, with 529 finding work. “The Ministry of Labor is prepared to open more Women's Labor Offices if the funds are provided,” they said.
